Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor
by Dozo14
Summary: The Chosen find themselves in conflict with a pair of mysterious twins who use their magic to commit crimes. Meanwhile, Billie considers telling her friend Taylor about her magic and Violet acts on her feelings toward Arthur.
1. Chapter 1

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Xxx

Inside the San Francisco City Bank, a forty year old security guard, who was a little overweight, made his round in the lobby during night time. He walked past the service counters and looked at the entrance, which was a large glass wall with revolving doors. It looked fragile, but it was actually fortified and bulletproof glass. In the square in front of the bank, everything looked peaceful as usual and a large fountain flowed water in lighted streams. The guard put away his flashlight and grabbed his walkie-talkie.

"Everything is clear here, Jim." The guard said. "How is it looking upstairs?"

"Nothing to worry about, Carl." Another guard replied. "Let's meet back at the office and I'll grab us some fresh coffee from the employee kitchen."

"Copy that." Carl replied. "Meet you in a few."

Carl the security guard put away the walkie-talkie and headed back to the security office in the back. As he whistled a tune, he was unaware of two figures dressed in black walked up to the bank. Both were the same height with an identical slender build and average height, though their faces were covered by black hoods. One of them placed his hand on the glass and then formed a fist, shattering the glass wall with a single punch.

"What the hell!?" the guard screamed as he spun around and looked at the shattered glass.

The guard reached for his gun, though before he could get it, one of the figures suddenly shot forward in superhuman speed and knocked him out with his own gun. As the guard fell to the ground, the other guard appeared on the balcony on the floor above them.

"Carl, what was that noise?" the other guard called out as he looked down. "Oh god."

Before the second guard could make a move, the figure that had knocked out the first guard ran up the stairs in a blur and knocked him out as well. He then leaped down from the balcony and landed next to his partner. The two figures nodded at each other and made their way to the security office. When they found the door locked, one of the figures grabbed the door handle and ripped it off.

As they entered the office, one of the figures shut down the cameras by destroying the motherboard. When the cameras were down, the figures both removed their hood, revealing themselves as near-identical young men in their early twenties. They had short light brown hair and brown eyes, and the fact that they looked almost the same was because they were twins.

"Cameras are down." The first twin replied. "I can see the vault in the basement, but I don't think we're getting in from here."

"Doesn't really matter, we came prepared, right?" His twin replied. "Let's go."

The twins left the security office and headed to the vault, which was in the basement behind the counters. They hopped over the counters and looked around for the stairs.

"Nick, over here." The second twin called out as he found the stairway.

The twins headed down and soon found themselves standing in front of a large metal vault door that seemed indestructible.

"I don't think I could smash through this if I tried." Nick remarked as he touched it. "Are you sure your spell will work, Nathan?"

"Of course." His brother replied. "Just stand back and watch."

Nick took a step back and waited, Nathan held out his hand at the door and started casting a spell.

"_A metal door don't mean a thing,_

_As it's dissolved into nothing."_

The metal vault door briefly flashed in a searing light before melting away, leaving no trace behind. Nathan smirked while his brother merely shrugged unimpressed. The twins stepped through the hole in the wall. A large pile of money was waiting for them in the middle of the room. They circled around the money and could not help but smile at the impressive sight.

"That's easily a couple of million." Nathan said.

"I told you this job would be better than all the previous ones combined." Nick replied. "We should have hit a major bank the first time around."

"We didn't know what we were doing then." Nathan replied. "We would have screwed up."

"Man, look at all this cash." Nick replied. "We're millionaires."

"It is definitely enough to lead some very comfortable lives." Nathan replied.

"Come on, think a little bigger." Nick said.

"What do you mean? We agreed this was the last one." Nathan replied as he turned to his brother.

"You wanted this as much as I did." Nick said as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Don't go grow a conscious now. We take what we want, and nobody can stop us."

"Why do we need more? We already got more than we can spend." Nathan suggested. "Let's take a break and enjoy the money first."

"Good idea." Nick replied. "Let's grab the money and go on a vacation. You know we always talked about surfing and diving. Let's go to Australia, the great Barrier Reef?"

"Sounds like a plan." Nathan replied with a smile. "Now let's get going before the guards wake up."

Both brothers revealed a large white bag rolled up on their belts and started collected the money. When both bags were full, Nathan tied them up, while his brother walked across the vault and ripped a safety deposit box from the wall with his bare hand. He placed it on a table and pulled the lit off.

"Cool." Nick remarked as he picked up a gold watch and let it slip around his wrist.

"Dude, those are private possessions." Nathan replied. "We agreed to only take the money."

"Oh, grow up, stealing is stealing." His brother replied annoyed. "There is no such thing as a good bank robber. Don't you want a fancy watch?" He added as he waved the watch in front of his face.

"I'll buy one." Nathan replied. "Now let's get going."

The brothers picked up the bags filled with money and started heading out the vault. However, when they reached the top of the stairs, one of the guards suddenly appeared and aimed a gun at them.

"Drop the bags and put your hands up." Carl said. "I don't know how you did it, but you're not getting out of here with that money. I already pressed the silent alarm."

"Do you really think you can stop us?" Nick asked threatening as he dropped the bag as he took a step forward.

In a panic, Carl shot the gun, though before the bullet could hit, Nathan grabbed his brother in a blur and pulled him aside. Nick then stepped forward and grabbed the arm of the guard, twisting it and throwing the gun away. With a hand around his wrist, Nick smirked and twisted the man's arm even further, until it almost broke.

"No!" Nathan called out and he shot forward in a blur and pressed his brother against the wall.

"Don't be a fool, he saw our faces." Nick snapped at him. "Even we can't escape a nationwide manhunt. What else can we do?"

"We are not killing anyone, if we do that, we'll become like…" Nathan replied hesitantly. "We're not killing him."

As the guard cradled his hurt arm, Nick walked past him and picked up the gun. He studied it for a moment and then aimed it at the guard, who started to plead for his life. However, Nathan positioned himself between his brother and the guard and shook his head, pleading his brother not to do this. Suddenly, a fourth individual appeared out of thin air. He seemed like a man in his late thirties, with neat brown hair and dressed in a leather jacket.

"Well, what do we have here?" The man asked.

"Who the hell are you?" Nick asked as he aimed the gun at him.

"The name is Bacarra, and I am here to help." The man replied as he waved his hand and cast a short spell "_Sopio Oblitus_". Suddenly the guard slumped over to the ground.

"What did you do?" Nathan asked concerned.

"I put him to sleep, and added a little something that will make him forget what happened." Bacarra replied. "You should be thanking me."

"That depends on why you're here." Nick remarked.

"You're right." Bacarra said. "I didn't come without a reason. I have a deal I would like to offer you. But let's talk elsewhere, shall we?" He added as sirens started sounding in the distance.

"Where?" Nick asked.

"That rooftop over there." Bacarra replied as he pointed at a building across the square. He then smirked and disappeared in a blink.

"Nick, no." Nathan warned his brother as he saw the look in his eyes. "We can't trust him."

"It won't hurt to hear him out." Nick replied. "Take us up there."

"I am so going to regret this." Nathan said with a sigh as he placed a hand on his brother's shoulder and disappeared from the bank in a blur.

A few seconds later, the rooftop door of the apartment building flew open and the twins appeared on the building, where they were greeted with a cold breeze. The mysterious man named Bacarra stood across from them, overlooking the police cars headed toward the bank. He then turned to the twins and smiled.

"I have to say, you two have made quite an impression in the magical community." Bacarra said. "Everyone is talking about it."

"We don't care about the magical community." Nick replied bitterly. "We've always taken care of ourselves. We don't need anyone else."

"Especially not someone like you." Nathan added with a frown.

"Oh, you don't trust me." Bacarra concluded. "Why, because I am evil? We're the same."

"We're nothing like you." Nathan snapped at him.

"Details." Bacarra remarked unimpressed.

"So what is this deal you were talking about?" Nick asked impatiently. "And what is in it for us?"

"Do you really want to spend your lives using your magic for petty crime?" Bacarra asked. "You could do so much more, be so much more. I can offer you power, status, anything you desire."

"At a price." Nathan remarked.

"You seem like the skeptic one." Bacarra replied before turning to his brother. "Which means you must be the idealist. I bet you hate being rejected for what you are. I can tell you want to be free and in power."

"Look, you don't know anything about us." Nathan said and grabbed his brother by the arm. "Nick, let's get out of here."

"Hold on, I want to hear what he has to say." Nick replied as he shook loose.

"I knew you would." Bacarra said. "I know all about you, where you came from and what you have been through. You're not just looking for money or power, you're looking for a place to belong. Like orphans looking for a home."

"And you want to be our daddy?" Nick remarked skeptically. "Thanks, but that is a little creepy."

Bacarra smirked and corrected his jacket. "Hardly." He replied casually. "I run an organization, and we have big plans. Change is coming real soon, and there will be winners and losers. I am offering you a chance to be on the winning side for once."

"So what would we have to do?" Nick asked.

"It is quite easy." Bacarra replied. "My colleagues and I have some business to attend to, delicate work that cannot be disturbed. However, we have been experiencing a slight witch problem."

"We're not killing witches." Nathan replied instantly.

"Who said anything about killing? All I need you to do is distract them for a while." Bacarra replied. "Keep them chasing after you instead of me for a few days."

"And in return?" Nick asked.

"Powers, wealth and a place in my organization." Bacarra replied as he raised his hands. "Anything you want. Think it over for a moment."

Bacarra turned around and walked over to the edge of the roof, where he watched the police searching the bank. At the same time, Nick grabbed his brother by the arm and dragged him away. He wanted to say something, but Nathan told him to be quiet.

"_I think he is listening in on us_." Nathan said telepathically, not wanting the warlock to overhear them.

"_So what? We have nothing to hide_." Nick replied with his mind. "_This is a golden opportunity. We need to take it. We can have anything we want_."

"_We can't trust him_." Nathan said. "_Everything about this seems wrong. Do we really want to go up against a couple of good witches_?"

"_They've never done anything for us_." Nick replied angrily. "_They don't want us, so why should we care about them_?"

"_If we think like that, we're no better than him_." Nathan said as he nodded his head to Bacarra. "_I am telling you this is a mistake. We have always stayed under the radar of good and evil, not picking either side. We have no idea what we're getting involved in_."

"_Aren't you getting tired of living in the shadows, always alone_?" Nick asked with a frown. "_Because I am. This is our chance to belong to something_."

"_I don't think this is the kind of thing we want to belong to_." Nathan replied as he sighed. "_I'll leave it up to you, but please consider it carefully_."

Nick fell silent and Nathan could see his brother was thinking over their opinions. Although Nick was usually in charge because he was the older twin, he did still listen to his advice. However, Nathan knew he would always follow his brother, because they only had each other.

"Are you boys done?" Bacarra asked and he suddenly appeared next to them.

"You can read minds?" Nathan asked concerned.

"No, but it was quite obvious you were arguing." Bacarra replied. "You really need to work on your poker faces. So what is it going to be?"

Nathan looked at his brother, who cleared his throat. "I want to make one thing clear." Nick said. "We will agree to be a distraction, nothing more. We will not kill anyone for you. We decide how we handle it and when we get out."

"Agreed." Bacarra replied. "I can accept those terms. And as a symbol of good faith, please accept these." He added as he held out his hand and two glowing white orbs appeared.

"What are those?" Nathan asked.

"Powers." Bacarra replied. "Powers that you need when you go up against the Chosen."

The twins exchanged looks and Nick shrugged. Nathan nodded and both then placed a hand on a glowing orb. They were briefly engulfed in a white light as the powers entered their bodies while Bacarra looked on contently that his plan had worked.

Xxx

Across the city, Billie Jenkins was having a girls night with her friends Violet and Mikelle in her dorm room. They had popcorn, movies and of course lots of gossip and boy talk. Even Mikelle, who was not exactly the girly type, seemed to be enjoying herself. Billie loved it, it made her feel normal. She needed a distraction from Jake, as she had not spoken to him in over a week. They had admitted they had feelings for each other, though he seemed determined it could never work. However, while she was willing to take the risk, he shut her out instead. She needed to forget about him.

"So Violet, what is going on with you and Arthur?" Billie asked. "What happened on that island?"

"I don't know." Violet replied hesitantly. "And nothing happened on the island."

"You spent the right together." Billie replied.

"Yeah, and I slept while he stood guard." Violet replied. "Nothing happened."

"Why not?" Mikelle asked.

"I don't know. I am not like… you know." Violet mumbled. "I just don't know how to do stuff."

"Wait a minute, are you a virgin?" Mikelle suddenly asked.

"God, can we please not talk about this?" Violet called out embarrassed.

"It is nothing to be embarrassed about." Billie said. "I think it is sweet to wait for someone you really care about."

"I do really like him." Violet replied with a sigh. "I just don't know how to handle it. Last time I took a chance, I got shot down. I am afraid."

"Forget about Duncan." Billie replied. "Arthur is different. I can tell that he likes you. You should ask him out."

"I nearly did on the island, but we were interrupted." Violet replied. "Since then, I've just been too nervous. I don't know what to say."

"Just keep it casual." Billie replied. "As him out for coffee and just talk."

"You think?" Violet asked doubtfully.

"Definitely." Mikelle replied. "Speaking of keeping things casual, Billie, anything you want to tell us concerning a certain hunky witch hunter?"

"I don't want to go there." Billie said. "He made it clear he doesn't think it will work."

"But something happened on that island?" Mikelle asked.

"We are running, scared, adrenaline pumping." Billie admitted. "We got trapped in a cave and things happened."

"So you did screw him." Mikelle concluded with a smirk.

"Hey!" Billie called out annoyed.

"Oh my god, Billie." Violet said. "On the island? What were you thinking?"

"It was the heat of the moment." Billie said. "It were unique circumstances, I don't dive into bed with any random guy, so no judging."

"I'm not judging." Mikelle replied with a shrug. "Been there, done that."

"Okay, enough of that." Billie said as she stood up. "Let's just watch the movie."

"Do you guys think we should have invited Duncan?" Violet asked.

"What? No, it's girls night." Billie replied with a frown.

"Besides, he might be gay, but he is still a guy." Mikelle added. "This is not exactly his scene."

"Just like it isn't your scene?" Billie asked.

"Exactly." Mikelle replied. "I am just here for the dirty stories and the popcorn. Don't think for a second you get to polish my nails or do my hair."

"Oh, I would love that." Billie said smiling with a fake disappointment.

"Shut up and just put in the movie." Mikelle replied with a smile.

Just a Billie got up to put in the movie, there was a knock on the door. Billie walked over to the door and opened it. Her friend Taylor was standing on the other side. Lately, they had not been spending a lot of time together. Somehow, magic always seemed to get in the way. A frown appeared on Taylor's face when she noticed the girls night and seemed disappointed. Billie instantly felt guilty over it.

"I wanted to see if you wanted to hang out." Taylor said. "But I guess you're busy with your new friends."

Before Billie could respond, Taylor turned around and walked away. Billie called after her, but she did not respond. With a sigh, she closed the door and leaned against it. Great, now Taylor thought she was being replaced. It was more complicated than that. Because she was a witch, there were just certain things that Billie could not share with her. She was tired of coming up with lies and excuses. She still wanted Taylor to be her friend. Perhaps she should consider letting her in on the magical secret. The only question was, could she handle it?

xxx


	2. Chapter 2

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 2

Xxx

The following morning, Billie tried calling Taylor as she headed to her classes. However, she was ignoring her calls. She was still pondering whether or not she should tell her friend the truth about being a witch. Taylor had been her best friend ever since coming to San Francisco. She had supported her after the entire ordeal with Christy and her parents and had never given up on her, despite the fact that Billie pushed her away. Now she was angry at her or thinking she had been replaced. It was not even true, but she knew it would be hard to convince Taylor of that.

Billie tried to get Taylor out of her mind, though as she did, her mind instantly wandered to Jake instead. Another thing she did not want to think about. She needed a distraction. As she walked past a board with flyers, she suddenly noticed a flyer of a really cool band performing at P3 tonight. The club would probably be packed already, but she bet that if she called Piper for a favor, she and her friends could get in.

As she stared at the flyer, she suddenly saw a guy looking at it as well. He had a slender build and had short brown hair and brown eyes, and he was really cute. She had never seen him before, but he had to be another student. When he noticed her looked, he smiled at her.

"Are you going?" He asked.

"I think so, are you?" Billie replied.

"Maybe. I don't really know P3. I just got into town." The guy said. "Is it a good club?"

"Yeah, I actually know the owner." Billie replied. "You should go."

"Will I meet you there?" The guy asked in a flirty tone.

"If you're lucky." Billie replied with a smile. Perhaps he was exactly the kind of distraction she needed right now.

"I'll definitely be checking it out then." The guy replied as he grabbed he flyer and started to walk away.

"Wait, you didn't tell me your name." Billie called out.

"It's Nick." The guy replied.

"Well, nice to meet you. I'm Billie." Billie said.

"See you tonight." Nick said.

As Nick headed into the hallway, he nearly bumped into Violet, who turned and looked at him. She then walked over to Billie and smiled. It was obvious she had noticed the flirting going on.

"Who was that?" Violet asked curiously.

"A cute guy we're meeting at P3 tonight." Billie replied.

"What about Jake?" Violet asked with a frown.

"There is nothing between Jake and me. He made that perfectly clear." Billie said. "Besides, I am not interested like that. I just want to have some fun and go dancing, nothing more. So are you going with me?"

"I don't know. I thought about what you said and I actually decided I want to ask out Arthur." Violet said. "You know, for coffee, taking things slow."

"Okay, I totally understand." Billie said.

"You should ask Taylor to come. She seemed pretty upset last night." Violet said.

"I don't know what to do about her." Billie said with a sigh. "She thinks that I am replacing her, that she is no longer my friend. But you guys are my friends now too, and I don't want to pick one or the other."

"Then tell her that." Violet replied.

"I guess you're right." Billie said. "Now we should get to class before we're late."

Billie grabbed Violet by the arm and dragged her to class. As they passed the corner, Nick came out from behind a row of lockers and smirked. As the hall became empty, he let the flyer fall on the floor and walked away.

xxx

On the other side of the campus, Duncan grabbed a couple of books from the library and sat down at a table with his laptop. With a few free hours, he decided to work on his paper for his history classes. After he plugged in his music, he smiled as he flipped through the history books. It was funny to see how mortals perceived events in the past. They were completely unaware of how magic had affected the course of history.

As he wrote his paper, his bored mind went to automatic pilot as he started looking around the library. Only a few other students were around this early, most of which were familiar faces. However, there was one face Duncan did not recognize. By one of the bookcases, there was an attractive guy with short brown hair and brown eyes. As Duncan looked his direction, the guy looked back and Duncan quickly looked away. For a moment, he thought the guy smiled, but he wasn't sure. Picking up on these sort of things was not his strong suit. He shook it off and went back to his writing.

"Hey, is this seat taken?" A voice suddenly asked.

Duncan looked up and saw it was the same guy standing at his table. "No, it's all yours." He said as he pulled is earplugs from his ear.

"Thanks." The guy said as he sat down. "Quite a collection of books you got there."

"Yeah, history paper." Duncan replied.

"I am Nathan, by the way. I'm sort of new here." The guy said. "My brother and I just enrolled."

"I'm Duncan, nice to meet you." Duncan said. "Where are you from?"

"Boston." Nathan replied.

"Are you a freshman?" Duncan asked.

"No, sophomore." Nathan replied.

"Me too." Duncan replied. "Are you taking history?"

"I'm more focused on the future." Nathan replied. "The past is the past, can't do anything to change it, right?"

"Unless you can time travel." Duncan joked, which wasn't actually funny and he noticed Nathan frowning a little. "So have you picked a major?" He quickly said to change the subject.

"No, still undecided." Nathan replied. "I am still trying to figure out what I should do."

"Sounds familiar." Duncan replied.

"So…" Nathan said after a moment. "I noticed you looking earlier."

"What?" Duncan asked a little flustered. "No, I wasn't. I mean, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Nathan replied with a smile. "I was actually kind-of hoping you would notice."

"You did?" Duncan asked surprised. "So you are..?"

"Like you?" Nathan finished his sentence. "You couldn't tell? No magical senses?"

"I am kind of bad at that." Duncan replied. "Some magical senses would be nice."

"My brother just texted me he is going to his club tonight." Nathan said. "P3, have you heard of it? Apparently, some great band is playing there."

"I know it." Duncan said.

"So you want to meet up there?" Nathan asked. "No pressure."

Duncan hesitated for a moment. It was the first time in a while that a guy had been interested. And Nathan was definitely interesting. He wasn't usually the type to just go for it that quickly, but perhaps he needed to take a chance. Nothing had been happening on that front in a while now.

"Sure, why not?" Duncan said with a smile.

"Cool, I'll see you there." Nathan replied.

Nathan grabbed his bag and headed off, leaving Duncan to get back to his paper, though he was not that interested in history anymore. He tried to focus on what he was reading, though it was pointless. He sighed and closed the book. At that moment, he noticed a text from Mikelle, telling him that they all needed to meet. Great, Duncan figured, another magical emergency.

Xxx

About half an hour later, after their class ended, Billie and Violet met up with Mikelle and Duncan in her dorm room. Apparently, there was some sort of situation and Billie could not help but think that magic was getting in the way yet again. She wanted to track down Taylor instead to talk it out. Billie sat down on her bed and sighed as she checked her phone, no new messages.

"So what is going on?" Billie asked impatiently.

"The Elders are concerned." Mikelle said. "Over the last few weeks, there have been four bank robberies across the state. Last night, the city bank was robbed of millions."

"Wait, I am sorry, bank robberies?" Billie called out surprised. "Mikelle, we're witches, not cops."

"The robberies were committed with magic." Mikelle said as she rolled her eyes. "Perhaps I should have led with that. Anyway, the Elders are afraid magic will be exposed. The thieves aren't really that concerned with hiding their magic. They made a vault door disappear."

"So what are we dealing with?" Duncan asked.

"The Elders don't know." Mikelle said. "That is why they asked you."

"They don't have a clue?" Billie asked. "No signs of demonic activity or anything?"

"The Elders are not sure that demons are behind it." Mikelle replied.

"So how do they expect us to figure this out?" Violet asked. "I mean, like Billie said, we're not police officers. How do we investigate a crime?"

"Well." Mikelle said hesitantly as she looked at Billie. "We do have a contact within the San Francisco Police Department."

"No way." Billie called out. "Even if I wanted to even talk to Jake, there is no way he will help us. He made it clear he doesn't like magic."

"As much as I hate to admit it, we could need his help." Duncan added.

"Guys, it's not happening." Billie said adamantly. "Besides, Jake is in homicide, not robberies. It is not even his department."

"Right." Violet added in support. "Also, if there have been robberies all over the state, doesn't that mean it automatically falls under FBI jurisdiction?"

"How do you know that?" Duncan asked with a frown.

"I watch a lot of crime series." Violet admitted a little embarrassed.

"So what are you going to do?" Mikelle asked impatiently. "The Elders are really concerned about this. If these magical thieves get caught, it could pose a problem for all of us."

"I might have an idea." Billie suddenly said. "A contact in Homeland security."

"You mean Murphy?" Mikelle asked. "The one who worked with the sisters?"

"If he can get us into the bank, we might be able to find some magical clues." Billie replied.

"I think that is our best shot." Mikelle said nodding. "I will inform the Elders. Nice thinking, Billie."

As Mikelle disappeared into a column of orbs, Billie got up and started searching through her desk. She was sure she still had a card of agent Murphy somewhere. Even though things were hardly friendly when they last spoke, it was better than having to call Jake. When she found his number, she picked up her phone and called him.

Xxx

A couple of hours later, Billie and Duncan arrived at the San Francisco City Bank and crossed the square past a beautiful fountain. The bank was closed off with yellow tape, though it seemed deserted. Billie noticed the large glass wall that had been shattered and wondered how it happened. It must have taken some impressive strength. As they reached the entrance of the bank, agent Murphy stepped out of a black car. He looked the same as ever, and did not seem particularly happy with the situation.

"Agent Murphy." Billie said in a serious tone.

"Billie." Murphy replied. "I wish I could say it was good to see you. Who is this?"

"I'm Duncan." Duncan said.

"Another witch?" Murphy asked.

"You have a problem with that?" Billie asked with a frown.

"No, let's just get this over with." Murphy replied impatiently as they headed into the bank building. "I had to pull a lot of strings to get you in here, so I hope it was worth it. The feds were not happy when we swooped in."

"How did you do it?" Duncan asked.

"I lied about a source tipping us off on a potential new weapon that could be used for terrorism." Murphy replied. "How else would we explain the destroyed wall and the disappeared vault door?"

"How many lies do Homeland Security spread?" Billie asked.

"However much are needed." Murphy replied. "You should be grateful that we're keeping magic hidden. If word gets out, there will be a global panic."

"Of course." Billie remarked skeptically. "You keeping it a secret has nothing to do with you trying to weaponize it, right? Made any viruses lately?"

"That was a mistake." Murphy replied annoyed. "Anyway, I only got the bank cleared for about an hour or so. Do your thing."

"Okay, take us to the vault." Billie said.

Agent Murphy led Billie and Duncan though the counters and down a set of stairs into the basement. Billie gasped when she saw the huge hole in the wall where there had once been a heavy metal door. They stepped into the vault and looked around. A single deposit box and been ripped from the wall, again with incredible strength. Other than that, everything seemed normal.

"Duncan?" Billie asked.

"Yeah, I got it." Duncan said as he revealed a vial of white powder from his jacket.

"What is that?" Murphy asked concerned.

"It is the crushed powder of a rare magical crystal." Duncan explained. "When it comes into contact with traces of magic, it will change color and hopefully allow us to identify its source."

Duncan opened the bottle and let some of the powder fall on his hand. He then raised his hand to his mouth and blew the powder across the vault. Murphy coughed as some got in his face and took a step back. Billie looked on as the powder fell down. Suddenly, the deposit box was engulfed in faint yellow with an orange glow.

"What does that mean?" Billie asked.

"A green glow will show good magic, like magic used by witches." Duncan explained. "Red will show demonic activity. Yellow is somewhere in between."

"So that excludes demons." Billie concluded. "Try the vault door."

Duncan walked over to the entrance and blew some more powder on the opening. Again, a yellow glow appeared with some traces of orange.

"What does yellow mean?" Murphy asked.

"Hard to tell, it could mean any number of things." Duncan explained. "A lot of magical beings are somewhere between good and evil. The orange glow means it's more evil than good, though."

"Great, so this tells us nothing." Billie called out annoyed.

"Hold on, there is a small trace here." Duncan said as he pointed as a small trail of powder leading up the stairs.

Duncan headed upstairs and Billie and agent Murphy followed. Duncan stopped at the end of the stairs and Billie looked around. She noticed a bullet hole in the wall, so a gun had been fired.

"Was anyone hurt?" Billie asked.

"Both guards were knocked out." Murphy said. "One of them said it all happened too fast, the second one says he can't remember a single thing since last week."

"Amnesia?" Billie asked.

"More like a memory spell, I think." Duncan replied. "Take a look."

Duncan placed some more powder on his hand and blew it across the room. Soon several trails of the yellowish orange appeared all around them. However, there was suddenly a trail of distinct dark orange as well. Billie noticed Duncan frowning and realized he knew something.

"What is it?" Billie asked.

"That orange color." Duncan said. "It points to a warlock. I'd recognize it instantly."

"How come it is darker here? Why does the rest only have a slight orange glow?" Billie asked.

"I don't know." Duncan asked. "This where the guard was attacked. Perhaps it's more orange because an innocent was hurt?"

"Okay, so we know now we're dealing with a warlock." Billie said. "That's still not a lot to go on. Did anything show up on the cameras?"

"No, the cameras were shut down when the motherboard was destroyed." Murphy said. "The FBI is working on recovering the footage from before it was destroyed. That way, we'll at least see how the robber got in."

"But that could expose magic." Billie said.

"I know, I am already working on getting the footage." Murphy replied.

"Will you let us know if anything comes out of it?" Billie asked. "I don't think there is anything more we can do here."

"If anything useful shows up, I will let you know." Murphy said. "Now what do I do about this glowing powder? The feds will be back soon."

"It will dissolve in a few minutes." Duncan said.

"Thanks for the help, agent Murphy." Billie added.

"Hold on." Murphy said. "I get that you think this is some magical issue, but it's not just magical. The mortal world will need answers as well, and a suspect."

"I am sure you can think of something." Billie remarked. "You always do."

Billie turned around and started to leave, she could practically sense the agent's frustration as she headed out the door and smiled. Duncan frowned at her and she shook her head. The government had no business with magic. This was something they needed to handle. They could not trust the government in cases like this, as she had already learned the hard way once before.

Xxx

In a luxurious apartment across town, furnished like a true bachelor pad, Nathan grabbed a beer from the fridge and dropped down on the couch next to his brother, who was playing a racing game on a huge television screen. Ever since they first started using their magic to steal, the twins had led a comfortable life of wealth and fun, and there was nobody would could stop them.

"How did it go with the girl?" Nathan asked.

"Like expected." Nick replied. "She doesn't suspect a thing. What about your target?"

"Pretty much the same." Nathan replied. "It's a shame though, he was actually pretty cute."

Nick put the game on pause and sighed. He dropped the controller and looked at his brother. "Remember what is at stake here." He warned him. "This is just a game, we're a distraction, nothing more. Don't get personally involved."

"Don't worry, I won't." Nathan replied. "I will stick to the plan."

"You'd better." Nick said. "I get the sense Bacarra is not one to be crossed. We'd better not fail."

"We won't." Nathan said determined. "Like you said, we're just a distraction. After this is all over, we can get anything we want."

"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Nick asked.

"You know you can count on me." Nathan replied. "Have I ever let you down?"

"No, of course not, you're my brother." Nick said after a relieved sigh. "We stick together, right?"

"Always." Nathan replied.

"Got a handle on your new powers yet, the ones Bacarra gave us?" Nick asked.

"I think so." Nathan replied. "They feel a little strange, though."

"What are you talking about?" Nick asked as he stood up and formed a Fire Ball in his hand. "They feel amazing. I've never felt so powerful."

Nick threw the Fire Ball at a piece of art in the middle of the room and it combusted. Nathan covered his face from the rubble and frowned. The abilities Bacarra had granted them sure were powerful, though he could not help but wonder what their true price would turn out to be. He felt conflicted about working with a warlock like that, but where else could they go?

xxx


	3. Chapter 3

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 3

Xxx

When the huge wooden doors of Magic School swung open, Violet entered the school and was greeted by the sight of two young students chasing after a flying book. A few months ago, she would have been freaked out, though she was surprised how quickly she was getting used to magic. With the support of her friends, she was learning more each day and started feeling more comfortable with her powers. Lately she had been practicing using her powers on command, though they were still difficult to control.

As Violet headed toward Arthur's office, she started feeling nervous, like she always did when she saw him. She knew she liked him, and she suspected it was mutual, though she could not help those butterflies in her stomach. She past a mirror and quickly checked how she looked. She had borrowed a cute purple top from Billie and even wore a skirt, which she normally never did. As she ran her hands through her red hair, she smiled and told herself to be comfortable.

"You can do this." Violet whispered, it was only a date.

As she reached the office, Violet knocked and waited. She heard shuffling in the room and a moment later, she heard Arthur's voice calling her in. When she entered the room, she was shocked to see what a mess it was. Arthur had ancient looking maps hanging on his walls and there will piles of books and paper everywhere. Arthur was standing in the middle of the room, looking at a huge white board with his scribbling on it. She noticed his tie hung loosely around his neck and he was unshaven.

"What is going on?" Violet asked.

Arthur looked up and seemed surprised to see her. "Violet?" He asked confused. "What are you doing here? I mean, I wasn't expecting you. Please, come in."

Violet stepped into the office and closed the door behind her. "What are you doing?" she asked.

"I know this looks chaotic." Arthur said. "I've been working on a project, so to speak."

"A project?" Violet asked. "It looks like a bomb exploded here."

"I know, and I always teach my students to be neat and organized." Arthur replied. "Usually I am." He added as he noticed his tie and quickly corrected it. "Normally I hate messes, but I've been really focused on this project."

"So what are you doing?" Violet asked.

"You sure you want to know?" Arthur asked in return.

"Of course." Violet replied. "It looks important."

"I don't really know what it is yet." Arthur replied. "Remember the ruins on the island?"

"How could I forget?" Violet remarked. "We nearly got killed there."

"True, but did you ever take a good look at the ruins themselves?" Arthur asked.

"Not really, I was too busy freaking out." Violet said.

"Of course." Arthur replied. "Well, I did take a closer look at the symbols on the walls. I had seen them before. I saw them on scrolls here at Magic School. The language is ancient, thousands of years old."

"So?" Violet asked confused.

"The symbols and the architecture." Arthur said. "They are the same as other magical cities such as Atlantis and Zanbar. The research I am doing might prove that all these cities are built by the same people."

"Wait, I know you're the history professor here, but how is that possible?" Violet asked confused. "These cities were built all across the world. And wasn't Zanbar a demonic city?"

"It was the seat of power for an evil empire." Arthur replied. "But what if it wasn't always?"

"What exactly are you hoping to find?" Violet asked. "You must have a theory."

"I do, but it's kind of a stretch." Arthur replied.

"So tell me." Violet said in a supportive tone.

"Okay." Arthur said as he took a deep sigh. "I think it all may be connected to the wizard race. I mean, they were once so powerful that the Source became threatened by them, so he nearly wiped them out. What if these mysterious cities once belonged to them? What do you think?"

"Maybe." Violet replied with a faint smile.

"But it is a possibility, and I can't wait to find out the truth." Arthur said. "I love teaching, but making a discovery like this would be even more amazing."

"Don't you think you need a break?" Violet asked concerned.

"I have been locking myself in here for a while." Arthur said pondering. "Wait a minute, I never asked you why you're here."

"Oh, it's not important." Violet quickly said with a blush.

"No, tell me. I think I need the distraction." Arthur replied.

"Okay." Violet said hesitantly with a flustered face. "I was… I was actually wondering if you wanted to go for, you know, a cup of coffee sometimes."

"Oh." Arthur said a little doubtful. "You mean like a date?"

"Yeah." Violet admitted. "Unless you don't want to. I mean, I would total understand…" She quickly added mumbling nervously.

"I would love to." Arthur said with a smile.

"Really?" Violet asked surprised.

"Of course. Why wouldn't I?" Arthur asked. "I wanted to ask you as well, but I just got distracted by my research and then I figured I was too late."

"No, you're not too late." Violet replied. "So you want to get some coffee tonight?"

"Sure." Arthur said. "I know this great place in the city, say around eight?"

"Okay." Violet said with a smile.

"Great, so I will meet you there." Arthur said. "I really should do something about this mess, though. And I think I've been neglecting my students a little."

"I'll get out of your way." Violet said.

"I'll let you out." Arthur said.

The two of them walked to the door and Arthur opened the door for her. As she stood in the opening, Violet hesitated and smiled at him. She was not sure what she should do or say. Should she touch him and just say bye, or even kiss? Arthur seemed hesitant as well.

"I'll see you tonight?" He eventually asked.

"Yes, tonight." Violet quickly said. "I should get going."

"Okay, see you tonight." Arthur replied.

Violet turned and smiled as she walked away. She had a date and she could not help but feel all girly and nervous for it. As she walked past a few students, she told herself to calm down. It was just coffee, she reminded herself. She quickly grabbed her phone and wanted to call Billie, though she remembered she and Duncan were checking out the robbed bank. She hoped that whatever those criminals were planning, it would not ruin the first date she had in ages.

Xxx

As they walked back onto the campus grounds, Billie grabbed her phone and checked to see if she had gotten any messages from Taylor, but there was still nothing. Meanwhile Duncan seemed distracted as well. The bank had turned out to be something of a dead end, though all they knew was that they were dealing with a warlock, which wasn't helpful in catching him yet.

"So what now?" Billie asked.

"We inform Mikelle." Duncan said. "I don't know what else. Perhaps we need to wait until he makes his next move."

"Let's hope the footage from the security cameras will help." Billie added.

"Agreed." Duncan said. "Well, looks like there is nothing more we can do today, right?" He added with a forced smile.

"Why is that?" Billie asked suspiciously. "Anything you want to tell me?"

"Not really." Duncan replied evasively as he continued walking to the dorms.

"I don't believe you." Billie said as she followed him and nudging him with her shoulder. "Tell me."

"Alright." Duncan said with a sigh. "I was planning on going out tonight."

"With?" Billie asked with a smile.

"With someone." Duncan replied annoyed. "Don't get any big ideas, it's not a date, really. He is new in town and he asked me to check out this band at P3."

"Oh my god!" Billie called out. "I am going to P3! I am also meeting someone there."

"Really, that is quite a coincidence." Duncan remarked.

"Not really, the band that is playing is really popular." Billie replied. "I bet half the school will be there. We should go together, though I wanted to ask Taylor along as well. She's mad at me."

"Why?" Duncan asked.

"She thinks I am replacing her with Mikelle and Violet, it's a long story." Billie replied. "So I was thinking of calling Piper to get on the list, so we don't have to wait in line or anything."

"Nice thinking." Duncan said. "So is Violet coming as well?"

"No, she has other plans." Billie said with an amused smile.

"Arthur?" Duncan asked.

"Yeah, how did you know?" Billie replied.

"I might be a guy, but I am not blind, you know." Duncan remarked. "I can tell when two people are into each other. I am just happy for her, seeing what happened between us."

"Hey, that is in the past, forget it." Billie said.

"Okay. So if you're meeting a guy, what does that mean for you and Jake?" Duncan asked.

"God, why does everyone ask me that?!" Billie called out frustrated. "There is nothing between me and Jake. We spent one night together and he is not interested! I'm moving on."

"You slept with him?" Duncan asked shocked. "On the island?"

Billie sighed and rolled her eyes. She needed to learn to stop sharing such private information even if it was to her friends. Her very judgmental friends. "Shut up." Billie said annoyed.

"Fine. I am just glad it's over." Duncan said. "I don't trust him."

"I know." Billie replied sadly. "A witch and a witch hunter will never work."

"I'm sorry." Duncan said as he gently grabbed her arm. "I shouldn't have said that. I know you like him. I should keep my big mouth shut."

"It's okay." Billie said with shrug. "I know how you feel about him. Besides, we're friends, doesn't that mean we should always be open with each other?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Duncan said a little relieved. "So P3 tonight? Let's just have a night of fun and forget about everything else for a moment."

"I could not agree more." Billie said. "I'll meet you at the club. I have one more thing I need to deal with right now."

Billie said goodbye to Duncan and headed to the dorm buildings. However, she walked past her own building and headed toward Taylor's dorm. She was her friend as well, meaning she needed to be open with her as well, at least as open as she could be. They needed to talk this out. When Billie arrived at her door, she slammed her fist against it.

"Taylor, it's me." Billie called out. "I am not leaving until we talk."

A moment later, the door opened and Taylor's roommate appeared, who quickly excused herself. As she left, Billie headed inside the room and closed the door. Taylor was sitting behind her desk listening to music on her laptop. Billie impatiently crossed her arms and cleared her throat. Taylor turned off the music and swung around his her chair.

"We need to talk." Billie said.

"Don't you have your new friends to talk to?" Taylor remarked.

"You know this is really immature, right?" Billie snapped back her at.

"I know." Taylor replied with a sigh. "But what else am I supposed to do? I feel like you're no longer a part of my life anymore."

"That is ridiculous, Taylor." Billie said. "Just because I have new friends, doesn't mean that…"

"It is not just about that!" Taylor interrupted her as she stood up. "Ever since I met you, I have felt like there is something you're not telling me. I know you went through a hard time with your parents and your sister, but I never got the full story. You never told me the whole truth, and I accepted that, because I thought it hurt too much."

"It did." Billie replied. "But I understand, I do have things in my life that I don't talk about."

"But you do talk about it to them." Taylor said accusingly. "I have been your friend for years, and I barely know anything about you, yet I feel like your new friends know you a lot better."

"Taylor, I wish I could tell you." Billie said. "But it is really difficult."

"Do you think I can't handle it?" Taylor asked.

"I think you can, but I need some time to think about this." Billie said. "Can't we just move past this for the moment? I miss you and I thought we could spend some time together. I am going to P3 tonight. I'm supposed to meet a hot guy there, perhaps he has a cute brother or something?"

"I do really love the band that is playing." Taylor reasoned. "But it doesn't change anything, Billie. We are still friends, and you will still owe me an explanation."

"I promise I will tell you when I am ready." Billie said. "Please just trust me in that."

"Alright." Taylor said with a nod. "I could use a night out. And I think it's about time I meet your new friends as well."

"I think you're going to love them." Billie said contently.

A wave of relief washed over Billie. At least she and Taylor were still friends. However, she also realized she had only delayed the problem, she knew she would have to tell Taylor about her magic eventually. Luckily, she now had some more time to think about it. Billie hugged Taylor and left the dorm room. They had agreed to meet at the club and Billie needed to get ready. She might not be interesting in actually hooking up with Nick, but she at least wanted to make an impression.

Xxx

In a blink, which always felt like being pulled into a vacuum, the warlock Bacarra appeared in the apartment inhabited by the twins. He looked around the room and shook his head. An empty pizza box on the table, a game console in front of a huge television and a shattered statue. These little fools had no idea what they were doing, living like frat boys when they could use their magic for things much greater. They were selfish and ignorant about who and what they were, which luckily made them easy to manipulate.

One of the twins, Bacarra did not know which one, came down the stairs while buttoning up his shirt, seemingly freshly out of the shower. He stopped when he noticed the warlock.

"What are you doing here?" the boy asked. "How did you find us?"

"Did you really think I would not be able to find you?" Bacarra replied. "I always look after my investments."

"We're not your investments." The twin remarked annoyed.

At that moment, the other one came in from the kitchen. "Nick, who are you talking to?" Nathan asked as he looked at his brother, until he noticed Bacarra and frowned.

"I beg to differ." Bacarra said, ignoring his arrival. "I hired you to distract the Chosen and I granted you powers to do so. That makes you an investment."

"So what do you want?" Nathan asked.

"I wanted to check in, see how things are going." Bacarra replied.

"You don't need to worry." Nick said as he headed down the stairs. "We got in all planned out. The Chosen will not bother you."

"Well." Bacarra replied as he sat down on a leather chair and folded his hands. "Inform me."

"Hold on, when we agreed to this, you said you'd let us do it our own way." Nathan said.

"And I will." Bacarra said. "But that doesn't mean I don't want to know what is going on."

"Fine." Nick replied.

As he walked across the room and sat down, Bacarra noticed the twins looking at each other and suspected they were involved in another telepathic argument. He ignored it and pretended to wait patiently. After all, he knew they would eventually do as he asked, no matter how they felt about it.

"We pretended to be college students and got close to them." Nick explained. "They will meet us at P3 tonight."

"And?" Bacarra asked.

"And then we perform a little magic trick." Nathan replied. "There is a bank not far from the club, we lure them there, frame them for the crime."

"And if they manage to escape?" Bacarra asked.

"Then they will come after us, not after you." Nick stated. "Either way, they will not bother you for the time being, which is exactly what you wanted."

"Okay, impressive." Bacarra admitted. "But this will only work if they fall for your tricks, so what exactly are you planning?"

"We can't give away all our secrets." Nick replied with a smirk.

"Still don't trust me?" Bacarra asked in a bored tone. "And here I thought we were getting along. Are you not content with the powers I gave you? The time to pick sides is coming very close, boys, and you don't want to be on the wrong side."

"Why don't you tell us about your plans for a change?" Nathan asked. "You want us to trust you, how about a little trust in return. What is this organization you're working with, what is your endgame?"

"I am sorry, but you'll have to prove your loyalty first before I can let you in on what is coming." Bacarra replied. "Deal with the Chosen and then we'll talk."

Bacarra stood up and corrected his jacket before blinking away. When he reappeared, be found himself standing in the penthouse the Brotherhood used as their meeting place. The circle was coming to a close and soon their final plans would begin. There was a sudden noise, heeled footsteps, and Bacarra spun around.

"I know you are here, Klea." Bacarra said aloud to the empty room.

Two glowing red eyes appeared from behind a pillar and Klea appeared in a shimmer. The beautiful demon was dressed in a simple black dress that complimented her perfect figure.

"Do you know what you're doing?" Klea asked. "How can you be sure you can trust their kind?"

"Please, I have taken that into account." Bacarra replied. "They think they're safe as long as they don't pick a side, but they are mistaken."

"And if they don't choose evil?" Klea asked skeptically.

"They will." Bacarra replied. "And they won't even see it coming. The powers I granted them were purely demonic. The more they use them, the more corrupted they will become."

"And against the Chosen, they will surely need the powers you provided." Klea concluded with a smile. "Their conversion is unavoidable. They will become evil, and we'll have two more pawns to control in this game."

"The time for playing games is nearly over, Klea." Bacarra replied.

"I know." Klea said. "The others should arrive soon to discuss the final details of the plan. Soon this entire city will be ours to grasp."

Bacarra walked to the window to overlook the city. Soon it would all be under their control, theirs to rule as they saw fit, and the Chosen would be too distracted to ever see it coming. Victory was within reach, though as a cautious person, the warlock knew not to celebrate too early. Instead he merely let a faint smile appear on his lips. The time to laugh would come soon enough.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 4

Xxx

A little over eight, as it started getting dark outside, Violet rushed to the coffee bar she was supposed to meet Arthur at. She hated being late and it was her own fault, as she had spent way too much time in front of the mirror. Usually she did not care about her looks that much, but this date was special. She liked Arthur a lot and she wanted it to go perfectly. When she arrived at the bar, she stepped through the door and looked around. She noticed Arthur sitting in a booth in the back of the bar, near the window. He looked really handsome, with a clean shaved face and a black button down shirt with a grey tie. He really seemed to like ties for some reason. She quickly walked over and sat down.

"I am so sorry I am late." Violet quickly said.

"No worries, it's only been a few minutes." Arthur said.

"Still, I feel bad for making you wait." Violet said as she took off her coat.

"You look really nice." Arthur said as he looked at her clothes, a blue top and plaid skirt.

"Thanks, you do as well." Violet said a little flushed.

A waiter came over and Arthur ordered a coffee while Violet ordered tea. She felt a little nervous, but there was also something really relaxing about Arthur and she felt comfortable with him. Probably the result of surviving on a battle zone island together.

"So how did you end up at Magic School?" Violet asked.

"Well, I was always fascinated by history." Arthur explained. "After discovering my powers, I traveled the world a lot, which eventually led me to the school. So I applied and was hired, even though I did not even had an official degree."

"So they must have seen something special in you." Violet replied smiling.

"I guess." Arthur said.

"You said when you discovered your powers, were you not born with them?" Violet asked.

"Not really, I was unaware of the fact that I was a half-wizard when I was a kid." Arthur said. "I did not find out until my powers manifested as a teenager, after my mother died."

"I am sorry." Violet quickly said.

"It's okay, she was really sick. I think death was a relief for her in the end." Arthur admitted with a saddened look. "It was one of the reasons I decided to travel, to get away."

"I understand." Violet said. "What about your father?"

"Other than the fact that he was a Wizard, I don't know anything about him." Arthur said. "My mother did not talk about him, or perhaps she couldn't. I never bothered to ask."

"I know what you mean." Violet said. "My adoptive parents were so great, that I never felt like I needed to ask about my birth parents."

"So you don't know anything about them?" Arthur asked.

"No, well I think at least one of them has to be a witch, but other than that, no." Violet told him. "And I have parents that I really love, although I don't really see them that often anymore. They don't know anything about magic and I don't want to confront them with it. I mean, look at what happened to Billie's parents."

"So you're shutting them out to keep them safe?" Arthur asked.

"Not shutting them out." Violet said. "I just call and email instead of coming over. I try to speak to them once a week at least. They understand me wanting to build my own life."

"I get it." Arthur said. "Sometimes I wish I still had my parents, even though I am an adult. I wonder about my father sometimes."

"Do you think that has anything to do with your research?" Violet asked curiously.

"What do you mean?" Arthur asked with a frown.

"Well, you said you suspect wizards built all those ancient cities, even though you admitted it was a stretch." Violet reasoned. "Do you think that is because part of you hopes to learn more about them, like your father?"

Arthur remained silent for a while and took a sip of coffee the waiter just delivered. He seemed to ponder her theory. "I never thought about it like that." Arthur eventually admitted. "Perhaps you're right. My research has always been focused on Wizards. I believed it was because they were so mysterious, but perhaps it's more personal after all."

"There is nothing wrong with that." Violet said. "It is perfectly normal to want to know where you come from."

"You don't seem to want that." Arthur replied.

"I never said I never thought about it." Violet admitted. "I have thought about it, but I always had my parents to fall back on, you didn't."

"I guess you're right." Arthur said and he took hold of her hand over the table. "You're pretty impressive. Did you learn all of that in psychology class?"

"I don't know, maybe." Violet said a little embarrassed. She enjoyed holding his hand and did not want him to let go. She quickly took a sip of tea.

"I can't believe I am telling you all of this so soon." Arthur said with an awkward smile. "I mean, this is our first date. We should be taking about more fun stuff. Like what kind of music we like and other silly stuff."

"I don't mind." Violet replied. "I want to get to know you."

"I want to get to know you too." Arthur said. "And I feel like I already do."

"I know what you mean." Violet said. "I think it's the time on the island, and of course the fact that we're both magical."

"You mean we're really similar?" Arthur asked.

"I guess in a sense we are." Violet replied. "But in other things we're really different as well. I could never do what you do, stand in front a class of students. I'd get way too nervous."

"It's not so bad once you get used to it." Arthur replied.

"But you seem to have that sort of confidence." Violet said. "I don't, I mean I was already freaking out over asking you out."

"Am I that scary?" Arthur asked with a smile.

"No that's not…" Violet mumbled quickly. "I mean, you know what I mean. I just get really nervous and then I don't what to say, and then I start rambling and…"

Arthur squeezed her hand a little and she stopped talking. He had this unusual way to make her feel calm, even when he was the one making her nervous. It was just like how she helped him control her power over time. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"I feel like I am talking way too much." Violet admitted.

"I don't mind." Arthur replied with a smile. "But if you want, we could go watch a movie or something, to ease the pressure."

"I would like that." Violet said, thinking she could use the time to regain herself and stop her from making a fool out of herself.

"Okay. I'll go pay for our drinks." Arthur said. "Meet you at the door?"

"Sure." Violet replied.

As Arthur grabbed his coat and walked over to the bar, Violet quickly grabbed her phone and texted Billie about what had happened and what she should do. Her reply was short and simple, but that didn't make it any easier. "_Relax, sweetie, he likes you. Just have fun and stop doubting yourself. Xoxo_." Violet smiled as she put on her own coat and headed to the door. She was met by Arthur, who gracefully opened the door for her. Just have fun, she repeated to herself.

Xxx

Shortly before the band was supposed to perform, Billie arrived at P3 in a cab. She was dressed to impress, with her high heels, cute leather shorts and bright blue top. It was the perfect blend of being sexy without being too sexy or being trashy. A huge crowd had gathered in front of the club. Luckily, she had called Piper and managed to get on the list, so she could avoid the endless line. She figured Nick would already be inside, as she was running a little late.

As she walked toward the entrance, Billie got a text from Violet and quickly sent one back for good luck. She then spotted Duncan standing among the crowd and worked her way up to him. With his grey jacket and dark shirt and jeans, he looked good. When he noticed her, he waved her over.

"Hey, you look great." Duncan said.

"Thanks." Billie remarked with a smile. "Sometimes a girl just wants to feel pretty."

"If you say so. Not really my area of experience." Duncan remarked. "So did you manage to convince Taylor to come?"

"I hope so." Billie said as she looked around.

At that moment, Taylor emerged from the crowd, dressed in a perfect little black dress with a jacket over it, classy and casual at the same time. Billie greeted her with a hug.

"I am so glad you decided to come." Billie said. "This is Duncan, a friend of mine."

"Nice to meet you." Taylor said as they shook hands.

"You too." Duncan replied. "Want to head inside? I think the band is about to start playing."

Billie nodded and they soon made their way through the line. The bouncer initially refused them, but when Billie passed on her name, they were let in. She loved having connections. Once inside, she saw the place was packed. Loud music was playing and the stage was still empty, meaning the band had not started yet. She instantly started looking around if she could spot Nick. He was not the primary reason she was there, but she still hoped to see him. However, if not, she would just spent the evening with her friends.

"I'll get us some drinks." Duncan said and he quickly made his way to the bar.

"Taylor, I am really happy you're here." Billie said loudly as she leaned in to her friend due to the loud music. "I know I haven't been the best of friends."

"Billie, it's okay." Taylor replied. "Let's just have fun and forget about it for tonight. We can talk another time, I'm sure we can work it out."

"Sure." Billie replied.

"So where is this mystery guy of yours?" Taylor asked.

At that exact moment, Billie heard someone call her name from the crowd. She turned and saw Nick heading their way. He looked really hot, with his hair styled neatly and with a button-down grey shirt and dark jeans. However, she was shocked to suddenly see a clone of his standing next to him. The clone had more spiked hair and was dressed in a black deep V-neck shirt and jeans. Both were holding a beer in their hand and were almost identical.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about the brother thing." Taylor remarked.

"Actually I was." Billie replied. "I had no idea."

"Hey, you made it." Nick said with a smile as he finally reached them. "This is my brother…"

"Nathan?" another voice added in surprise, and Billie turned around to see it was Duncan holding their drinks. "Hey, what is going on?"

"Duncan, hey." The clone, apparently called Nathan, said quickly. "I told you I had a brother, right? This is Nick."

"You never said anything about a twin." Duncan replied confused.

"And you didn't say anything." Billie said accusingly as she looked at Nick.

"Okay, I'm sorry." Nick quickly said as he raised his hands. "People tend to be a little surprised when two of us show up. We should have been clearer."

"On the other hand, it is always funny to see how people react." Nathan added, causing Duncan to smile a little.

"Okay, this is really weird." Taylor remarked. "I'll take that drink now."

There was some movement around the stage and a moment later it was announced that the band would start playing. The crowd gathered around the stage and Billie and her friends managed to find some great spots at a standing table, not too far the stage. There was a loud cheering when the band arrived on stage and started playing one of their most famous songs.

"I hope we didn't freak you out." Nick said in Billie's ear he leaned toward her.

"No of course not." Billie replied. "Besides, we're here to have fun. Let's go dance. Taylor, come on, let's see if we can get closer to the stage."

"You guys go ahead, I'll watch the table." Duncan said.

As Billie headed forward through the crowd with Nick and Taylor, she noticed Duncan and Nathan staying behind at the table. As they reached the stage, Billie cheered at the band and started to dance as they started playing. She did not want to think about magic or the bank robbery, all she wanted was a nice, normal night out with her friends. She started dancing with Taylor, who was quickly distracted by another cute guy, so she began dancing with Nick instead.

Billie let herself get swept away by the great music and things between her and Nick were getting hotter, with their bodies moving close together. However, when an image of Jake suddenly shot through her head, she backed away. Why did she have to think about him?

"Something wrong?" Nick called out over the music.

"No, it's fine." Billie replied. "It's a little warm. I am going to get a drink."

"Okay, hurry back." Nick said.

Billie forced her way through the dancing crowd and headed back to the table. However, when she got close, she noticed Duncan and Nathan were preoccupied at the table. They were just talking, but Billie could definitely see something going on by the way they looked at each other and how they were subtly touching while talking. Because she did not want to interrupt, she decided to get a new drink at the bar instead.

As she sat down with a drink, Billie grabbed her phone and noticed a few missed calls from agent Murphy as well as a text with picture. She opened it and read it. "_Got the footage, need to see this, there are two warlocks_." Billie opened the image and saw two figured heading into the bank through the shattered window. She could not see they faces, but they had the same build and height. Two warlocks, with the same build, could it be possible?

As Billie turned around and started heading toward the table, she was intercepted by Nick. "Hey I was just coming to find you." He said.

"You were? Why?" Billie asked as she backed up. Could it be that the twins were the warlocks they were after? Their sudden appearance at school seemed suspicious all of the sudden.

"Just to check on you." Nick replied. "What is wrong?"

"Nothing." Billie quickly said. "Let's head back to the table."

As she started walking past Nick, he suddenly grabbed her arm with an iron-like grip. She tried to shake free, but he was too strong. A smirk appeared on his face as he formed a small Fire Ball in his other hand, as a warning not to make a scene. In the busy crowd, nobody seemed to notice.

"So you're the bank robbers." Billie said softly.

"How did you figure it out?" Nick asked.

"I didn't, you just confirmed it." Billie replied. "Why play these games, what do you want?"

"Just to have a bit of fun." Nick replied. "After all, this is all a game. A test to see how much we would get away with."

"So what happens now?" Billie asked.

"We finish the game." Nick replied. "Catch us if you can."

Nick looked up and Billie followed his gaze. Suddenly she noticed a fire alarm right above them. Before she could make a move, Nick pushed her aside and threw the Fire Ball up in the air. As soon as it hit the alarm, it went off and instantly the crowd started to panic. A second later, the sprinklers went off and everyone was soaked in water. When Billie looked around, she saw Nick had disappeared in the crowd.

Xxx

Duncan smiled as he took a sip of his beer and looked at Nathan. With Billie and the others dancing, they had some time alone and started talking and enjoying the band perform. As Nathan finished telling a story, he placed a hand on his arm and looked at him. There was definitely something between them, but it seemed to be happening too fast. And why did he keep getting the feeling he was missing something?

"So you never mentioned your parents." Duncan noted.

"Yeah, they are not around." Nathan replied as he looked at his beer. "Never been around really, it's always been me and my brother."

"That must have been hard." Duncan said.

"We get by." Nathan replied. "We always supported each other, no matter what. Whatever it takes to survive."

"What do you mean?" Duncan asked confused.

"It's complicated." Nathan said. "I don't really want to talk about it, we came here to have fun, right? So let's go dance or something."

"I'm a horrible dancer." Duncan admitted.

"So am I, who cares?" Nathan replied.

Nathan grabbed his hand and led him to the dance floor. However, he suddenly stopped and turned around with a frown on his face. Duncan wondered what was wrong and wanted to ask, though before he could, the fire alarm went off and panic broke out. A moment later, they were soaked by the sprinklers.

"What is going on?" Duncan yelled over the screaming crowd.

"I am sorry." Nathan replied. "This wasn't supposed to happen like this."

Duncan frowned and wanted to say something, though Nathan suddenly turned around and disappeared in a blur. Duncan stood there speechless, unsure about what had just happened. He moved at superhuman speed, how was that possible? What was he? Before he had time to think about it, Billie ran over to from the crowd.

"Billie, what is going on?" Duncan asked.

"We need to go. We need to go after them." Billie said.

"What are you talking about?" Duncan asked.

"The twins!" Billie replied. "They were the bank robbers, they are warlocks!"

"What?!" Duncan called out shocked. "How?"

"No time, come on." Billie replied.

Billie grabbed his arm and started dragging him out of the club. However, as everyone was in a panic, it was near impossible to get to the exit. When they finally managed to get outside, Billie yelled as she spotted the twins running around a corner and ran after them. As Duncan followed her, he still could not process the fact that Nathan was a warlock and it made him feel sick to his stomach. It had all been a lie, a stupid trick.

They followed the twins through a couple of streets and lost sight of them. As they stopped, they suddenly heard a loud crash and an alarm. Before Duncan could stop her, Billie ran toward the sound. How the hell could she even run with heels like that? When Duncan ran after her, he saw the twins had busted into another bank building, and the alarm would soon attract the police. However, Billie did not seem to care and ran after them.

"Billie, wait! It's a trap." Duncan called out, though she did not seem to hear him. Duncan sighed as he ran after her, knowing full well he was heading straight for trouble.

xxx


	5. Chapter 5

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 5

Xxx

Without thinking of her own safety, Billie ran after the twins into the bank building. She heard Duncan yelling behind her, but ignored him. She wanted to catch them, she wanted to stop them and figure out why they were doing this. It did not make sense, if all they wanted was to rob banks, why play these games? There was more going on, and she was determined to get answers.

When she entered the bank through the destroyed door, the alarm was almost deafeningly loud. She looked around, but the twins were nowhere to be seen, though she did notice several destroyed cameras on the floor. Suddenly, the alarm stopped and a moment later, several emergency lights went on, which cast eerie shadows all around her. When she heard a noise, she spun around, though it was only Duncan.

"Billie, this is a trap." Duncan said as he entered the bank. "The police will get here soon."

"I want to know to the truth." Billie replied and turned to yell across the bank. "Come on! You wanted to play games. Show yourselves."

There was a crash from somewhere in the bank and Billie instinctively ran toward it. She leaped over a few desks and headed through a back door. She noticed a trail of destruction leading to what presumably was the vault, judging by the metal door. As she came closer, she slowed her pace and heard Duncan behind her. He held out his hands and a crossbow appeared in an orange glow. She nodded at him and waved her hand, flinging open the vault door.

The moment the door opened, a Fire Ball flew at them and Billie barely avoided it by bending backwards through her knees. She then dodged a second one by cartwheeling while Duncan pressed himself against the wall to avoid them. Getting annoyed, she raised her hand and sent a third one flying back into the vault.

"Enough." Billie called out. "Come on!"

Suddenly there was a blur and both Billie and Duncan were thrown against the ground. Billie leaped up and saw the twins were now standing behind them, blocking the exit. She realized they wanted to trap them, but she would not let them. She flung her arm, though Nathan blocked her telekinesis by creating a force field of transparent red energy.

"Why are you doing this?" Duncan asked as he crawled up and looked at Nathan.

"Who says we need a reason?" Nick replied instead of his brother. "We just want to have a bit of fun."

"This is your idea of fun?" Billie called out. "Who the hell raised you?"

"Nobody." Nick replied with a glare.

"So you want to get rich, fine." Billie said. "Rob all the banks you want, but why come after us? What did we ever do to you?"

"You're all the same." Nick said. "You witches and your stupid rules. We make our own rules. We don't owe anyone an explanation."

"Billie." Duncan whispered and she briefly looked over her shoulder. He held out his hand and nodded at her. She thought she knew what he meant.

"Oh yeah?" Billie said as she stood up. "Well now you owe us an explanation. Answer correctly, and I might go easy on you."

"You don't stand a chance." Nathan replied unimpressed. "You have no idea what we're capable of."

"No, but I know your weakness." Billie said as he held out her hand behind her back. Duncan nodded and conjured an athame in her hand, which she clutched tightly.

"And what is that?" Nick asked arrogantly.

"Each other." Billie said.

Before the twins had time to respond, Billie threw the athame at Nick. The blade swirled through the air at his chest. However, before it could hit, Nathan screamed and grabbed him brother in a blur. He pressed his brother against the wall and the athame hit him in the shoulder instead. He cried out in pain as he kneeled down and Nick angrily threw a Fire Ball at Billie. Billie deviated the Fire Ball back at him and it blasted against the wall.

With a scream, Nick angrily ran forward and pushed Billie with superhuman strength. She flew back through the hall into the vault, though she managed to use her levitation to slow her speed and land with her feet on the wall before flipping down to the floor. She flung her arm and tossed Nick across the vault as he entered. He ripped a deposit box from the wall and threw it at her, which she easily evaded with acrobatic moves.

Xxx

At the same time, as he heard Billie and Nick fighting in the vault, Duncan got up and grabbed his crossbow as he slowly headed toward Nathan. The other twin was cradling his painful shoulder, where the athame was still sticking out. When he noticed Duncan coming closer, he quickly stood up and raised his hand. Electricity sparked between his fingers, though he hesitated and Duncan saw the conflict in his eyes. They stood across from each other, with Duncan aiming his crossbow and Nathan ready to unleash lightning.

"Tell me what is going on." Duncan demanded angrily.

"I can't." Nathan replied. "It is complicated."

"No, it is not." Duncan replied. "Just tell the truth. If all you want is money, why the mind tricks? Why pretend to like me?"

"Who says I was pretending?" Nathan asked.

"Don't lie to me." Duncan snapped at him. "You really think you can play the same trick twice?"

"Fine. We both set out to trick you." Nathan replied annoyed. "Is that what you want to hear?"

"All of this just to mess with me?" Duncan asked. "Are you even really gay?"

"Yes, I am." Nathan admitted. "And even though it started out as a trick, I do like you."

"You have a weird way of showing it." Duncan remarked. "Why should I believe a single word you say? You're a warlock, you're evil."

"You don't know anything about me." Nathan replied angrily as the electricity sparked in his hand. "Don't pretend you know what you're talking about, because you're wrong."

Duncan wanted to ask another question, though he suddenly heard sirens in the distance. They needed to get out of there. This could not be explained away, if they were caught, they would be in big trouble. Nathan seemed to realize the same thing, as he lowered his hand and the sparks disappeared. He reached for his shoulder and pulled the athame out with a painful groan, tossing it on the ground.

"For what it is worth, I really am sorry." Nathan said.

Suddenly, Nathan shot past him in a blur and a moment later, he and his brother were standing at the end of the hall. Billie came running out of the vault, seemingly unharmed. However, before either of them could take a step, Nick raised both hands and unleashed a blast of red energy, which threw them back across the hall with great concussive force.

When Duncan looked up, he saw the twins were gone and Billie had been knocked unconscious after hitting her head. Meanwhile the sirens were close, right outside of the bank. They needed leave, so Duncan called out for Mikelle. As the whitelighter appeared, Duncan suddenly noticed the athame that had pierced Nathan's shoulder. He picked it up and looked at it, noticing it was covered in red blood. That was impossible, right? However, he did not have time to think about it as Mikelle quickly orbed them to safety.

Xxx

About half an hour later, Billie emerged from the bathroom dressed in simple jeans and a t-shirt after a quick and refreshing shower, with her hair still dripping wet. Meanwhile, Duncan and Mikelle were sitting in her dorm room with a cup of coffee. Billie felt bad about what happened, especially since Duncan seemed to take it pretty badly. She guessed he must have really liked Nathan. A moment later, the door opened and Violet and Arthur came rushing in. Billie sat down on the bed and took an aspirin for her headache.

"Oh my god, what happened?" Violet asked confused. "Your text said it was an emergency."

"Sorry to pull you out of your date." Billie said with a sigh.

"It is okay." Violet replied as she shared an awkward look with Arthur. "So you found the bank robbers?"

"Oh, we did more than find them." Billie said. "Remember the cute guy from this morning? Turns out he and his twin brother are bank robbing warlocks. And for some reason, they seem to have a personal vendetta against us."

"What do you mean?" Violet asked.

"They wanted to frame us, or get us out of the way or something." Billie said annoyed. "I don't even know. It is all very confusing."

"Why would warlocks rob banks?" Arthur asked. "Typically, they only care about getting more powers. They don't seem like your typical warlocks."

"It's because they're not." Duncan mumbled as he played with the bloody athame in his hands. "Look, red blood, human blood."

"But warlocks don't bleed." Arthur remarked with a frown.

"I know, which means they're not warlocks." Duncan said as he placed the athame on the table. "At least not fully."

"But the powder, you said it pointed to warlocks." Billie said confused. "You were sure."

"I know, but now that I think about it, there was only one trail that led to a warlock." Duncan replied. "Most of the magic had a yellowish color, meaning it was mostly neutral."

"So you're saying that the twins are something else, but that there was a warlock?" Billie asked. "So maybe they are working for someone."

"It is possible." Duncan replied doubtfully.

"So what does that make these twins?" Mikelle asked. "Half-warlocks, evil witches, something else entirely? If you want to vanquish them, you need to be sure."

"No!" Duncan called out he stood up. "We can't just vanquish them!"

"Duncan, I know this is difficult, but they tricked us, they played with our emotions." Billie said. "They tried to frame us for a bank robbery. Who knows what is next? Even if they are not warlocks, they're still working with one."

"I don't think they are truly evil." Duncan replied. "What if this warlock is forcing them somehow? I mean, Nathan was…"

"Sweetie, I get that you want to believe it, but this was exactly their plan." Billie said with a sad expression. "I am sorry, but they cannot be trusted. It was all an act to hurt us or something."

"Perhaps you're right." Duncan admitted with a sigh as he sat down and rested his hand in his hands. "Guess I was stupid to fall for it that easily."

"No, you're not." Billie quickly said.

"Billie is right." Violet added in support. "It could have happened to anyone."

"If I wasn't so wrapped up in this whole Jake situation, I might have fallen for it just as easily." Billie said, even though it was frustrating to admit it to herself.

"Thanks." Duncan said with a faint smile as he sat up and looked at them. "So what is next?"

"We need to figure out exactly who and what these twins are." Billie said determined. "Mikelle, can you check with the Elders again, see if they missed something?"

"Yeah, sure." Mikelle replied.

"Okay, Violet, maybe you and Arthur could check Magic School in the morning and see if there is anything there that can help?" Billie asked. "Right now, I think we're all exhausted so we should get some sleep."

"Yeah, that's a good idea." Violet said as she looked at Arthur, who nodded.

"Okay, we will meet again tomorrow." Billie said. "Be careful just in case."

"I'll walk you to your room." Arthur said to Violet as he held out her coat.

Violet smiled as she took the coat and they left the room. Mikelle rolled her eyes and disappeared in a column of orbs, leaving only Duncan behind.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Billie asked concerned.

"I'll be fine." Duncan replied somewhat sad. "It was just a trick, right?"

Duncan left the room and slammed the door shut behind him. Billie was worried. She hated seeing her friends hurt. Suddenly she remembered Taylor. She could not believe she had left her behind. How could she be so stupid? She quickly grabbed her phone and tried to call her, but there was no reply. She dropped the phone and got up, though as she opened the door of her room, she found an angry Taylor standing in front of her.

"Taylor, thank god!" Billie called out. "I was so worried."

"You got a funny way of showing it." Taylor said accusingly. "You left me at the club!"

"I know, I can explain." Billie said.

"Don't bother." Taylor replied. "I am tired of hearing excuses. I am tired of you keeping secrets. I can't do this anymore, Billie. Have fun with your new friends."

Taylor turned around and started walking away. Billie called after her, but she was ignored. She wanted to run after her and explain it all, to tell her the truth, but she knew she couldn't. With the threat of the twins hovering over them, it was probably best to keep Taylor in the dark. At least that way, she would be safe. However, that did not make it feel any easier losing one of her best friends. As she closed the door, she heard her phone buzz and saw it was agent Murphy.

Xxx

As they entered the apartment at superhuman speed, Nathan nearly collapsed as he stopped. The pain in his shoulder was sharp and he was still bleeding heavily. His brother ran over to the kitchen and came back with an emergency kit. At the same time, Nathan walked to the couch and sat down. As he did, another surge of pain coursed through him.

"Lift up your shirt." Nick ordered him.

Nathan did as he asked and slowly lifted up his shirt, though every movement hurt. He felt his brother press gauze against the wound.

"They are going to pay for this." Nick said angrily. "I am going to kill them."

"What?" Nathan asked as he turned around surprised. "What are you talking about?"

"You think I am going to let them hurt you? Hurt us? I am tired of everyone being against us!" Nick called out furiously. "I am going to make them pay!"

Nathan frowned and wondered what was going on with his brother. He was always a little hotheaded, but this was not like him. After bandaging his wound, Nick stoop up and started pacing. Suddenly, he formed a Fire Ball and threw it at the television, causing it to explode.

"What the hell?!" Nathan called out. "Nick, you're acting insane."

"What do you mean?" Nick asked agitated.

"You're not acting like yourself. I mean, you're talking about killing people." Nathan said. "We promised we would never kill. You know what will happen if we take a life. If we go there, there is no going back."

"So what?" Nick replied. "What is the point in denying what we are any longer?"

"I cannot believe you're saying this." Nathan replied shocked, as he felt his brother was losing it. "You are really starting to freak me out."

"Why are you suddenly against me?!" Nick snapped at him. "I have always looked after you. We swore we would always be there for each other."

"Not like this." Nathan replied. "Not if it means killing people and giving up who we are. I think all of this was a mistake. We should have never trusted Bacarra."

"Bacarra offered us everything we wanted." Nick said. "All we have to do is this one little thing."

"Do you really think it will end there?" Nathan asked. "Once we go there, who knows what he'll demand of us next. How can you not see that he is using us? Think for once."

"Are you calling me stupid?" Nick asked angrily as he stepped forward and formed a Fire Ball in his hand. "You better watch it."

"Are you really threatening me?" Nathan asked, trying to act calm and determined, even though he was shaking. "Go ahead then. Do it."

Nathan stared at his brother, who glared back at him. He had never seen his brother like this, with this much rage. He barely seemed human anymore, only evil. Nathan looked at the Fire Ball in his hand and suddenly realized something. The powers Bacarra had given them, they were influencing them, turning them evil. Nick had used his new powers far more that he had, and it had already started to change him. The warlock was tricking them.

"_Nick, listen to me_." Nathan said telepathically as he grabbed his twin's arm. "_This is not you. These powers are messing with your mind. You need to snap out of it_."

"What?" Nick asked confused and he stepped back and let the Fire Ball disappear. "I don't know what came over me. What the hell is happening?"

"It's Bacarra." Nathan said. "I knew this was a mistake. We can't trust a warlock."

Suddenly, the doors of the apartment flew open and the warlock stepped in. He raised both his hands and the twins were thrown across the room and crashed through the window onto the balcony. Nathan cried out as his shoulder hit the floor. Before they could get back up, Bacarra grabbed both of them by the throat with telekinesis as he stepped on the balcony.

"This is very disappointing, boys." Bacarra said. "I gave you one simple task. Distract the witches." He let go and the twins were able to breathe again.

"You manipulated us with those powers." Nathan replied after catching his breath. "You're trying to turn us evil."

"Of course." Bacarra said with a smile. "You didn't think I would just let you get away, did you? You two have so much potential, if only you would embrace your true nature."

"We're not like you." Nick sapped at him.

"But you are exactly the same." Bacarra said. "You're just not willing to admit it yet. You refuse to embrace the evil inside of you. The window cannot stay open forever. You need to make a choice at some point."

The warlock smirked as he stepped back into the apartment and poured himself a drink. The twins exchanged looks and telepathically discussed making a run for it as they slowly crawled up.

"Don't even think about running." Bacarra said as he turned to them and saw their faces.

"What do you want?" Nick asked defeated.

"What I wanted from the start." Bacarra said. "Distract the witches, fight them, kill them. Just keep them focused on you long enough."

"Why?" Nathan asked.

"Fine, I'll let you know." Bacarra replied with a sigh. "Tomorrow night, my organization will make its move to claim this city, but it will require a great concentration of power that the witches will surely notice unless they are distracted."

"So what happened after?" Nick asked concerned. "What more do you want from us?"

"After it is done, you are going to kill the witches, take their powers and join my side." Bacarra said casually. "You will get everything you ever wanted, with the small price of your humanity of course."

"So what if we refuse?" Nick asked defiantly.

"I would not do that if I were you." Bacarra replied with an unimpressed frown. "Tomorrow, this city will be ours, and anyone who opposes us, will suffer. So consider your options carefully."

Bacarra dropped his glass, and before it shattered on the floor, he had disappeared in a blink. The twins exchanged troubled looks, their backs were against the wall. They had always done what was needed to survive, but how far were they willing to go this time?

xxx


	6. Chapter 6

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 6

Xxx

The following afternoon, Billie and the others were supposed to meet in the grand hall of Magic School to discuss their plans. As she walked through the door, Billie saw Arthur and Violet talking by the desk in front of the large and beautiful glass-in-lead windows. She noticed a smile on Violet's lips and smiled as well. Clearly things were going well between them and she was happy for them. At least some things were working out. When Violet saw Billie, she quickly came over and took her by the arm as she steered them the other way.

"So what happened last night?" Billie asked curiously.

"Nothing happened." Violet quickly replied. "He brought me back to my dorm and we said goodnight. He was a perfect gentleman."

"So did you kiss him goodnight?" Billie asked as she raised an eyebrow.

"Could you perhaps stop acting like a school girl?" Violet replied. "No, we did not kiss, the whole twins trying to frame us killed the mood a little. We had other things to focus on."

"Violet!" Billie called out. "Never focus on other things while you're on a date. It was supposed to be your big night."

"It was, we talked and we had a great time." Violet said. "I really like him and I don't mind taking it slow, so stop bothering me about it."

"God, if you go any slower you'll head back in time." Billie remarked with an eye roll.

"That is it, I am never telling you another thing." Violet said annoyed.

"Oh come on, I was just joking." Billie called out. "Besides, I lost enough friends already."

"What do you mean?" Violet asked.

"It's Taylor." Billie said. "With all the stuff happening with the twins, I completely forgot I left her at the club. She was understandably pissed off about that, and I can't really blame her. I've been a horrible friend to her."

"No, Billie, don't say that." Violet replied. "You're not a bad friend. It is just a complicated situation. I don't see what else you could have done."

"I could have been honest." Billie said with a sigh.

"Well, yeah…" Violet said hesitantly. "That could have worked. But that could create all kinds of other problems. I know you feel bad, but you did the best you could. When all of this over, you just need to sit down with her and talk it out."

"Will it ever be over?" Billie asked, both to Violet and to herself. "Because I feel that it is just one magical emergency after the other."

"Didn't you just tell me to focus on the important things?" Violet asked with a smile.

"You're right." Billie admitted after pondering it. "I guess I am a really smart person to tell you that."

"Sure you are." Violet replied.

Billie hugged her and felt a little relieved, since she had been constantly telling herself that she was a bad friend. Perhaps she didn't always do the right thing, but she tried her best, and sooner or later, Taylor would realize that as well. When the doors of the hall opened, Billie let go of Violet and saw Mikelle and Duncan enter. She noticed Duncan looking miserable and knew she had another friend to take care off, even though he would never admit it.

"I think I should start." Billie said as they gathered around the desk to discuss their plans. "I got a call from agent Murphy last night. Apparently, the robberies have been happening across the state for the last six months, so he started looking for other unsolved crimes. Over the last year, there has been a wave of mysterious crimes across the country. It started simple, but the crimes got gradually bigger, ending in the robberies."

"That matches the information the Elders provided." Mikelle said. "Seems like the twins have quite the criminal past."

"Yes, well luckily they have never seemed to seriously harm or kill anyone." Billie added.

"Where did the crimes start?" Arthur asked.

"Boston, Massachusetts." Both Billie and Mikelle said.

"That is where they are from." Duncan said. "At least that is what Nathan told me. I think they were born there."

"I think you're right." Mikelle said.

"Did the Elders know more about them?" Violet asked.

"I think so." Mikelle said. "About twenty years ago, a young witch gave birth to twin boys in Boston. However, as the witch did not have a Whitelighter or familiar, the Elders lost track of them."

"How could that happen?" Billie asked.

"Well, she wasn't exactly your standard good witch." Mikelle said. "The Ross family was a powerful wiccan line, though their morals were questioned by the Elders. They lost loved ones during the Witch Trials and became bitter, so they discarded the Wiccan Rede. The witch herself fell in love with a warlock. The Elders think he is the father of the twins."

"What happened to her?" Violet asked sympathetically.

"We don't know, she disappeared around the same time as the warlock, when the twins were toddlers." Mikelle explained. "The Elders considered claiming the twins, but they believed they were too tainted by evil, so they decided not to intervene."

"What?" Duncan called out appalled. "They left them on their own? That is horrible."

"Not one of their best moments, I agree." Mikelle admitted. "I guess these twins never really had a chance. They ended up in the system and ran away as pre-teens."

"They still chose to commit crimes." Billie stated. "And we still don't know why they came after us. So let's hold off on the sympathy until we get some answers."

"So if they are the children of a witch and a warlock, what does that make them?" Violet asked curiously. "Are they witches or warlocks?"

"A little bit of both. I think I have a book about this." Arthur said. He walked to a bookcase, picked up a book called "Magical Parentage" and flipped through it. "Right, it states here that witches and warlocks are closely connected, almost like two sides of the same coin. When a child is born from this union, they will balance between good and evil. They will be trapped in the Window of Opportunity until they declare themselves."

"Wait, what is the Window of Opportunity?" Violet asked confused.

"It is a magical period of time in which a person much choose between good and evil." Billie explained. "When a witch gains her powers, she has 48 hours to decide. Guess it works different for half-breeds."

"I never chose anything, I think." Violet said doubtfully.

"In most cases, the choice is automatic." Mikelle replied. "You helped stop that Grimlock and joined the Chosen, so that means you chose good without even realizing."

"It was the same for me." Billie said. "I didn't know about the window, but I instantly realized I wanted to do the right thing."

"In most magical families, the window is not even discussed." Duncan said. "It is just taken for granted. It is a flawed concept to begin with, as you can always change your mind later in life and switches sides."

"Well, that does not seem to apply to the twins." Arthur said as he studied the book. "It states here that once they commit an act of true evil, they will become pure warlocks."

"An act of true evil?" Billie asked surprised. "They have been on a magical crime spree across the country. How does that not qualify as evil?"

"A true act of evil basically means murder or something equally bad." Mikelle explained. "Until they cross that line, they are still considered witches, which makes them human."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Violet asked. "We can't kill them, right?"

"You could strip their powers." Arthur suggested.

"And then what?" Billie asked. "Send them to jail? Turn them over to Murphy? The government will get them either way, and I still don't trust them with anything concerning magic."

"What if we manage to convince the twins to choose good?" Duncan suggested. "They will be bound by the rules of personal gain."

"What makes you think we can get them that far?" Billie asked.

"Because I don't think they truly want to be evil." Duncan replied. "I think they are just lost. And I saw Nathan could not kill me, even though he had the chance back at the bank."

"I know you want to believe that." Billie said. "But it is a huge risk. One that I am not willing to take. What about you guys?"

"I am not sure." Violet admitted. "I mean, I believe in thinking the best of people, but doesn't their track record speak for them? They don't seem that interested in being good."

"I agree." Mikelle said. "Even if they don't want to be evil, they are certainly not good either."

"Okay, so that brings us back to the original question, how do we stop them?" Billie said. "I think stripping their powers was a good suggestion, it will at least prevent them from exposing magic. We can figure out what to do with them later. Agreed?"

Everyone nodded, except for Duncan, who was staring at the floor with a distracted look. "Duncan?" Billie asked.

"Yeah, okay." Duncan said reluctantly. "Right now, it is the best solution."

"Okay, so how do we catch them?" Mikelle asked.

"We still have the blood, we could scry for them." Duncan replied. "I left it at the dorm last night. If you guys get it, I will start on a power stripping potion."

"I'll help you." Arthur said.

"Okay, then Violet and I will get the athame." Billie said. "Mikelle, what about you?"

"I think I should check back in with the Elders." Mikelle said. "They seemed concerned about something, I'm not sure what. They mentioned something about strange occurrences across town."

"What kind of strange occurrences?" Billie asked. "Related to the twins?"

"They did not think so, but they suspect something may be brewing." Mikelle replied. "However, right now, they consider the twins the biggest threat, with the risk of exposure, you should focus on stopping them."

"We'll get going then." Billie said.

"I will meet you in a few hours or so, that is how long the potion will take." Duncan replied. "It is quite a slow process."

"Okay, we'll meet up back at the dorm." Billie said.

After saying goodbye, Duncan and Arthur left for the potions classroom while Mikelle orbed back up to the Heavens. Along with Violet, Billie left the main hall and headed toward the portal that would lead them back to the mortal world. As she headed there, she could not help but feel like they were missing something important, like they were missing out on the bigger picture. However, she figured the Elders were probably right, the twins needed to be dealt with first.

Xxx

After getting a drink from the fridge, Nick walked across the kitchen and stared out of the window across the city. Bacarra's words still echoed in his mind and the message was clear, it was either the Chosen or them. It was a matter of survival now. Nathan was right, they never should have gotten involved with the warlock to begin with. Nick felt angry about the situation, he hated not being in control. He hated the warlock and the witches as well. Perhaps he should just kill them and be done with it. What was the point of humanity anyway if he always felt like crap?

In a fit of rage Nick threw his class across the kitchen and it shattered against the wall. He was not thinking straight. These demonic powers Bacarra had given them were corrupting him from the inside. He was never this hateful, right? Angry and short-tempered, sure, but not hateful.

"Are you okay?" Nathan asked as he entered the kitchen.

"What do you think?" Nick replied annoyed.

"I know." Nathan said with a sigh. "We need to decide what we're going to do."

"Do we have a choice?" Nick asked rhetorically.

"Of course we have a choice." Nathan replied. "We could run, get out of town."

"Bacarra is never going to let us leave." Nick said. "And even if we did manage to get away, we would be on the run for the rest of our lives. He doesn't strike me as the forgive and forget type."

"So what do you suggest?" Nathan asked. "Kill the witches, lose our souls? That is the one thing we promised we would never do, remember? We would not give in to evil."

"What choice do we have?!" Nick called out. "The evil is already inside us, it has always been there. We've just been suppressing it."

"I don't believe that." Nathan replied. "At least, not really."

"Did you forget everything we've done?" Nick asked. "We always claim we did what was needed to survive, but that is not the whole truth, is it? We became criminals because we liked it as well. Don't even try to deny it."

"Fine." Nathan admitted reluctantly. "I guess part of it was for fun as well."

"You see, we're not good. We can never be truly good." Nick said. "We don't just have the blood of a witch, but a warlock as well. Good will never accept us, but evil will."

Nathan remained silent and left the kitchen. Nick followed his younger twin and watched him pace around the room as he struggled with what was happening. Nick felt conflicted as well, but when times were hard, he was always the one to make the difficult decisions. Even though he was mere minutes older, Nick had always looked after the both of them.

"So what do you want to do?" Nathan eventually asked desperately.

"I think you know what we need to do." Nick replied. "You know it deep down, so just admit it."

"You're right." Nathan stated as he looked at his brother with a saddened but determined look. "I guess we don't have a choice. We have to kill them."

As his brother turned around and walked away, Nick felt his anger fade. He was not angry or sad, but he just felt nothing. He figured the decision to take a life would feel different somehow, but he guessed he should get used to the empty feeling. He could not help but wonder if it was always meant to go this way. After all, it was part of his heritage, being a warlock was in his blood.

Xxx

As the potion in the cauldron slowly turned from a dark green to a bright red, a depressed Duncan rested his head on the table as he leaned against it. The potion would still take about half an hour and he hated the waiting. The entire situation felt wrong and he wished he had never met Nathan to begin with. He had said that even though it started as a trick, he did like him. But was that part of the trick or the truth? As much as he wanted to be, he could not be sure.

"How is the potion coming along?" Arthur asked as he entered the classroom with some coffee.

"Slowly." Duncan replied. "Too slow."

"Right." Arthur replied as he put the coffee on the table and stood there impatiently. "Look, I know we don't really know each other that well, but I get that this is difficult for you."

"It is fine." Duncan said somewhat annoyed. "I have only known him for about a day, it is not like it means anything. It was just a stupid trick."

"So? You're allowed to feel bad." Arthur said. "It is a pretty cruel trick. It doesn't really matter how long you have known him."

"Thanks." Duncan replied. "I will get over it. So you and Violet, huh? How is that going?"

"It is going well, I think." Arthur said a little awkwardly. "I like her a lot and I get the feeling she does as well."

"She does." Duncan replied.

"Did she tell you that?" Arthur asked hopefully.

"No, but she doesn't have to. It is fairly obvious." Duncan said. "I think you make a great couple. And I am glad that what happened between her and me is not an issue. I was afraid that it would cause some trust issues."

"Yeah, she told me about that." Arthur said. "And don't worry, we're taking it slow. I mean, we haven't even kissed yet."

"What? Why not?" Duncan asked with a frown.

"I guess I am not the smoothest guy. I am a bit awkward when it comes to stuff like that." Arthur admitted a bit flushed.

"God, the two of you really are a match made in Heaven." Duncan said with an amused smile. "I do hope that you realize one of you has to make the first move, right?"

"Yes, of course. I… intend to." Arthur replied. "Soon."

"And I wouldn't worry about the smoothness." Duncan said. "Just go with it."

"Thanks, Duncan." Arthur said. "It is nice to be able to talk about this. I mean, I am usually so caught up in my work and research that I don't go out much. I don't have that many people I can talk to about stuff like this. Most of the teachers here are like old and dusty."

"Says the nutty professor." Duncan replied with a smirk. "Anyway, it is fine. That is what friends are for, right?"

"Right." Arthur replied with a smile.

Duncan smiled and shook his head as he grabbed his coffee. It was funny to think he was bad at romance, but that Arthur and Violet were even more clueless. However, he was happy to see they had found each other. He just hoped he would be as lucky as that someday. He just knew it was not happening any time soon.

xxx

Billie opened her dorm room and turned on the light. As Violet closed the door behind them, Billie picked up the athame from the desk and turned on her computer. She connected a magical crystal to her mouse and opened the map on the screen. Wherever the twins were hiding, their time was up. She wanted to get this all over with, so she could focus on making things better with Taylor. She needed to know the truth about magic, it was the only way to salvage what was left of their friendship.

As the computer bleeped, Billie took the athame in her hand and focused on it as she started to move her cursor across the screen. As she did, the crystal started to glow slightly.

"That is so cool." Violet said. "How did you come up with this?"

"I didn't have a map." Billie replied casually. "Besides, I thought magic could use some modern technology. Just because we're witches, it doesn't mean we have to stay trapped in the dark ages. I prefer a car over a flying broom any day."

"You do know that witches never actually flew on brooms, right?" Violet asked.

"I was only kidding." Billie replied.

Suddenly, the crystal started to glow more brightly and the computer beeped. A mark appeared on the screen and Billie put away the athame. She looked at the address and gasped.

"What is wrong?" Violet asked concerned.

"I found them." Billie replied. "Only problem is, they found us as well. They are right here on campus. Like right inside this building."

Billie quickly got up, though before she could move, the door burst open and flew across the room. It shattered as it hit the wall. Billie covered her head to shield herself from the shattered wood and heard Violet scream. When she looked up, she saw the twins entering her room with a cold determination on their faces, ready to kill. Billie froze in a panic as one of them raised his hand and unleashed a bolt of lightning.

xxx


	7. Chapter 7

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 7

xxx

Violet stared at the screen as Billie used her modern method of scrying to find the twins. Suddenly, the crystal started glowing and the computer started beeping. A mark appeared on the screen and Billie put away the athame. Violet looked at the screen and saw a familiar address, at the same time, Billie gasped.

"What is wrong?" Violet asked concerned.

"I found them." Billie replied. "Only problem is, they found us as well. They are right here on campus. Like right inside this building."

Violet stepped back as Billie got up from her seat. A moment later, the door seemingly exploded and flew across the room, splintering as it hit the wall behind them. Violet screamed as she covered and ducked for cover. She looked up and saw the twins enter the room, both with a dark look in their eyes. One of them raised his hand and unleashed a lot of lighting. Violet instinctively raised her hands and the world around her slowed down until time itself was frozen.

Violet looked around and saw a time-frozen Billie with lightning almost striking her. She turned and looked at the twins. They had come to kill them, Violet realized, and she knew she had to act quickly, since had no idea how long her power would last. She evaded the lightning as she walked over to Billie and touched her arm, breaking the temporal stasis.

"What?" Billie asked disoriented as she became aware. "Oh, you froze time. Thanks, you just saved my life."

"You're welcome, but we don't have time." Violet replied. "We need to move."

"Hold on, they are frozen, right?" Billie asked as she headed to her desk and picked up the athame. "What would happen if we take them out now?"

"I am not sure, contact seems to break my power." Violet replied. "I don't think we should take that risk. Besides, wasn't the plan to strip their powers?"

"Vi, they came here to kill us!" Billie said accusingly. "Seems to me like they have made their choice. They chose evil."

"I don't know." Violet replied hesitantly. "I mean, Duncan…"

"Duncan wants to believe the best, and I understand that. I wish I could do the same, but I am not convinced." Billie stated. "It is either us or them."

Violet wanted to argue, though she suddenly felt a tingling sensation. She could feel her power weakening and saw time was starting to move again. The twins started moving in slow motion and the lightning bolt slowly continued its path.

"We're out of time." Violet said. "We need to get out of here."

"Fine, get ready to run." Billie said.

Billie flung her arm at the bolt of lightning and it burst apart in a wave of electricity. The twins were blasted by electricity and sent flying into the hallway as time sped up to normal. Violet hesitated, but Billie grabbed her arm and ran into the hallway, past the electrocuted twins. They were still alive and groaned in pain as smoke was coming off their clothes.

As they ran down the hall, Violet looked over her shoulder and saw the twins were slowly crawling up. She sure hoped Duncan would get back soon, as they would need that power stripping potion soon. Otherwise, Billie would be right and it would truly be a matter between life and death.

xxx

A little while later, Duncan emerged at the campus through a magical portal in an empty hallway. Arthur had decided to stay behind at Magic School in case they needed more potions. Duncan looked at his watch and saw it was already late in the afternoon. It would start getting dark soon, the potion had taken longer than he had expected, much longer. He hoped the others had managed to find the twins already. He wanted to get this over with and forget about it.

As he headed toward the dorm, Duncan grabbed his phone and tried to call Billie, though she did not pick up. As he entered the building and headed up the stairs, he suddenly saw a small crowd gathered at Billie's door. He worked his way past them and saw the door had been destroyed. That could only mean one thing.

"What happened?" Duncan asked.

"Don't know, we heard an explosion." Another student replied. "When I opened the door, I saw these two chicks run away with two guys chasing after them."

"What did the guys look like?" Duncan asked concerned. "Were they twins?"

"Yeah, I think so. They certainly looked alike, and they did not look happy." The student replied. "What is going on?"

"Oh, it is nothing." Duncan quickly lied. "We're sort-of involved in this prank-war. Things have gotten a little out of hand."

"Pranks?" the student asked confused. "Dude, you could get kicked out of the dorm for this. This stuff is dangerous."

"I know, trust me, we want to end it as soon as possible." Duncan replied. "Which way did they go?"

"They ran outside, I think they headed toward the old deserted gym hall." A female student who just joined them said. "They ran right past me. I think they used firework or something, as one of the guys' hands were glowing."

"Yeah, fireworks." Duncan quickly said, loud enough so everyone could hear. "Those guys are obsessed with fireworks."

Duncan sighed relieved when everyone seemed to believe his lies about pranks and fireworks. At least that took care of the potential exposure problem. Billie would still need to answer for the destroyed door, but that was a problem for later. Right now, he needed to go after them and stop the twins. Luckily, Billie and Violet had been smart enough to head to a deserted building, so no innocents would get caught in the crossfire. He turned around and quickly went after them, hoping he was not too late.

Xxx

Billie signaled Violet to be quiet as they snuck through the empty halls of the old gym building. It had been empty for about a year and would be torn down soon, meaning no innocents would be around to get hurt or expose them. Additionally, the dark hallways made for a perfect spot to hide or set a trap. As they entered another hallway, Billie peeked around the corner to make sure the coast was clear. Slowly, they continued walking down the hall.

"So what is the plan exactly?" Violet asked nervously. "I mean, sure this deserted building will stop the twins from exposing magic, but we're also on our own here."

"We just need to hold on long enough for Duncan to get the potion." Billie replied.

"And how will he find us?" Violet asked.

"That is a good question." Billie said as she reached into her pocket and grabbed her phone. "Great, the battery is dead. Where is yours?"

"At your dorm." Violet replied.

"Okay, so we're alone." Billie said. "Guess we have no choice but to fight."

"Don't you think you're thinking about this a little too casually?" Violet asked. "They are still human like us, right?"

"They made their choice." Billie replied with a shrug. "We can't help them now."

"Are you sure that is what this is about?" Violet asked skeptically.

"What do you mean?" Billie asked confused.

"Are you sure this is not a little about your sister?" Violet asked.

"What?" Billie asked with a confused frown. "What does this have to do with my sister?"

"Well, you were forced to kill her in self-defense because she was corrupted by evil." Violet replied. "I know everything that happened really hurt you, so maybe that is why you're acting so black-and-white about this. You've been manipulated once before, so now you've decided not to question it, you just assume they are evil."

"Okay, that is ridiculous." Billie replied annoyed. "I have a lot on my mind, I barely even have time to compare all of this to what happened with my sister. It never even crossed my mind."

"That doesn't mean it's not somewhere in the back of your mind." Violet said.

"Okay, you need to stop with those psychology classes." Billie remarked.

"Are you sure that I am not even a little bit right?" Violet asked.

Billie hesitated and turned around. The entire idea was ridiculous, Christy was not even on her mind. She did not think about her that much, at least she thought she didn't. However, she was pretty quick to judge the twins though. Could it be that her past with Christy caused her to automatically see them as lost causes, just because Christy had been too corrupted to save? Perhaps Violet was right. Maybe, she was afraid to give them the benefit of the doubt, just to avoid reliving what happened with her sister.

"Okay, I see your point." Billie admitted. "Still, that doesn't mean the twins are not dangerous. They are trying to kill us."

"I know, when it comes down to it, we will do what needs to be done." Violet replied. "But only if everything else fails, okay?"

"Right." Billie replied. "So take them out, don't kill them, understood."

Suddenly Billie noticed a flash of light in the corner of her eye and instinctively pushed Violet to the ground. A bolt of lightning flew past them and blasted an old trophy case. Billie looked up and saw the twins coming their way. She flung her arm and pulled a locker from the wall next to them. However, Nick easily caught it and tossed it aside. At the same time, Nathan moved past them in a blur and appeared behind them. Now Billie and Violet were trapped in between them.

"Look, we don't want to fight you." Billie said as she slowly got up. "Can we just talk about this?"

"There is no point." Nick replied. '"It is either you or us."

"What does that mean?" Violet asked. "Is someone forcing you to do this?"

"The warlock." Billie suddenly remembered. "There was a third person at the bank, a warlock. Are you working for him?"

"That is none of your concern." Nathan said.

"If this warlock is threatening you, we can help you." Billie said.

"I thought out of all of you, you'd be the one who wanted to fight us the most." Nick replied.

"Well, I had a change of heart." Billie said with a shrug.

"So did we." Nick said as he formed a Fire Ball in his hand. "Originally, we just wanted to get you out of the way. Now we want to kill you."

Nick threw the Fire Ball at Billie, though she waved her hand and caused it to curve around them and fly at Nathan. He quickly raised his hands and formed a force field of red energy. When he dropped the field, he charged forward in a blur. Billie felt Violet grab her arm and suddenly time slowed down around them. Billie saw Nathan slow down as lightning sparked between his fingers, until he stopped moving completely. She turned around and saw Nick frozen as well, about to form another Fire Ball.

"So that is how that feels." Billie said. "Cool power."

"Thanks." Violet said. "But it is only a temporary solution. What do we do?"

"I have an idea." Billie said. "But I am not sure it will work. Your power doesn't work on me when we touch, right? So maybe if I use my powers on them while in contact with you, the stasis will not break."

"Really?" Violet asked with a frown.

"It is worth a shot." Billie replied.

"Okay, try it." Violet said reluctantly.

Billie took hold of Violet's hand and then turned to Nathan. She slowly used her telekinesis to move him across the floor until the twins were facing each other, about to charge at each other. She then put him down and sighed, relieved that it had worked.

"It worked." Violet said stunned.

"I know, now unfreeze them." Billie said.

Violet nodded and flicked her hand. Time started moving again and quickly caught up to speed. As the twins were unfrozen, both of their eyes widened and Nicks screamed as Nathan crashed into him with superhuman speed. With the lightning sparkling in his hands, he accidentally electrocuted them both as they crashed and rolled over the floor. As sparks of electricity still coursed through them, Billie noticed they had been knocked unconscious.

"I cannot believe that worked." Violet said.

"Me neither." Billie admitted. "Now hurry, we need to tie them up or something until Duncan gets here with the potion."

Billie and Violet quickly moved over to the twins and started dragging them away. As she did, Billie thought about what Violet had said. She thought she had dealt with what had happened with Christy, but she realized that deep down, she might never really get over it. Perhaps in a small way, helping the twins defeat the evil inside would somehow make up for that.

Xxx

Nearly out of breath, Duncan stopped running and leaned against the door of the deserted building. He checked his pockets for the potions, to make sure he did not lose them, and headed inside. As he did, he conjured his trusty crossbow and headed down the dark hallway. Suddenly his phone started ringing and he cursed at himself for being stupid enough to forget to put it on mute. He quickly grabbed the phone and saw it was an unknown number.

"Hello?" Duncan asked softly.

"Duncan, it is me." He heard Billie's voice through the phone. "We got the twins, I am using one of their phones. We're in the old gym building."

"I know, some students saw you running here." Duncan replied. "I just got here. Where are you?"

"We're by the pool. We got the twins tied up, but hurry before they wake up." Billie replied and then hung up the phone.

Duncan hurried to the pool area and headed through the door. The pool area was a large room with skylights in the ceiling. The pool had been long drained and now stood there empty. The entire room was covered in pale blue light from the evening sky. Billie and Violet stood at the side of the pool and had the twins tied on two chairs with thick white rope. Their heads were down and they still seemed unconscious.

"What happened?" Duncan asked as he walked over and handed his crossbow to Violet.

"We used their own powers against them, with a little freeze kick." Billie replied. "Do you have the potions?"

"Yeah." Duncan replied as he pulled several vials from his jacket. "Let's just get this over with."

Duncan opened one of the vials and walked over to twins. Behind him, Violet raised the crossbow ready to fire in case they broke free. Duncan kneeled and looked at the unconscious Nathan and felt conflicted. He still hated this, but it needed to be done. He raised the potion to his mouth, though before he could, Nathan suddenly woke up and Duncan backed away.

"What, no, wait!" Nathan called out as he struggled against his ties, which also woke up his brother.

"Do you really think these can hold us?" Nick remarked unimpressed as he looked down at his ties. "I can snap these with ease."

"Doesn't matter, make one wrong move and you go down." Billie replied as Violet circled the twins with the crossbow aimed.

Duncan looked at Billie and could tell she was bluffing. However, the twins could not know that, so he went along with it. At least he was happy to see Billie was willing to give them a chance.

"We don't want to fight you." Violet said. "We just want some answers."

"You might as well kill us." Nick replied. "We're dead anyway."

"Why?" Billie asked.

"Does it matter? We're your enemies, remember? We tried to frame you and kill you." Nick replied.

Duncan looked at Nathan and noticed he had remained quiet, looking at the floor with a tormented look. He seemed conflicted and Duncan realized he was scared. He kneeled down and looked at Nathan. "If any of what you said earlier is true, just tell us what is going on. We can help." He said.

"Alright." Nathan replied as he looked him the eyes.

"Nate, shut up!" Nick yelled at him. "You know what will happen if we mess up."

"We already messed up, Nick." Nathan replied. "Everything we've done has been messed up. One way or another, it is over now."

"Fine." Nick replied with a sigh. "Guess we got nothing to lose."

"Why did you come after us?" Billie asked.

"We were approached by a warlock as we were robbing the bank." Nathan explained. "He told us he could offer us anything we wanted if we distracted you. He gave us all these demonic powers so we could fight you, but they ended up corrupting us without us realizing it. After we failed to frame you, the warlock confronted us and threatened to kill us unless we killed you."

"So you decided to kill us?" Billie asked with a frown.

"Sure, I had no intention of dying, or letting my brother die." Nick said.

"But if you killed us, you would have become warlocks." Duncan said. "You would have lost your souls, your humanity."

"How do you know that?" Nathan asked shocked.

"The Elders informed us who you really are, where you are from." Billie replied. "We know your mother was a witch and your father was a warlock. We know about the window and what happens if you take a life."

"I guess you figured us out." Nick remarked casually.

"I don't get why you had to choose crime, why not embrace the good inside of you?" Duncan asked. "I know it is there."

"You think it is easy being like us?" Nathan asked. "We grew up with only each other. Because of our warlock blood, we knew good would never truly accept us, or trust us."

"You need to earn trust." Billie said. "Resorting to crime was just an easy way out."

"We know, we accepted that. Either way, it is too late to earn back any trust now." Nathan said. "So what is going to happen?"

"Well, first you're going to tell us the name of this warlock and why he sent you after us." Billie said. "Then we'll decide what to do with you."

"His name is Bacarra." Nathan said after a deep sigh and the Chosen exchanged concerned looks. "He needed you distracted because he was planning something huge, tonight. He was worried you would notice, so he sent us to keep you occupied."

"Oh god." Violet said worried.

"What?" Nick asked with a frown. "Do you know this guy?"

"How could we be so stupid?" Billie asked. "We should have realized. This is really bad. Whatever the Brotherhood is planning, it is happening now. And we all fell for the distraction."

"Look, he's just one warlock." Nick remarked. "What could he possibly do?"

"He is not just one warlock." Duncan replied. "He is working with a group of demons known as the Brotherhood. We knew they were planning something big."

"And now thanks to us, they got what they wanted." Nathan concluded guiltily. "We're sorry. We never wanted this."

Duncan stared at him and wanted to say it wasn't their fault, but that was not exactly true. However, before any of them could say anything, a loud noise came closer. Duncan looked up and saw a helicopter through the skylight, aiming a search light inside. At the same time, sirens seemed to come from all around them. The building was surrounded.

"_This is Homeland Security. We know you have the fugitives in there_." Agent Murphy called over a loudspeaker. "_Turn them in and we'll let you go, resist arrest and we'll bring you all in_!"

xxx


	8. Chapter 8

Chosen Chapter 6: The Gemini Factor

Part 8

Xxx

In the penthouse overlooking the San Francisco bay, the former residence of the Source of All Evil, several candles were burning around a round glass table in a dark room. Two cloaked figures sat in two of the five seats and the demon Klea stood by the window looking outside. The cloaked female impatiently tapped her nails on the table. In the blink of an eye, the warlock Bacarra appeared and sat down at the table. As he appeared, Klea turned around and walked over to the table, placing her hands on one of the empty chairs.

"_Vinum Appareo_." Bacarra spoke and a large glass of red wine appeared in his hand.

"Finally." The cloaked female said. "Is it done?"

"Everything is ready for the final part." Bacarra replied as he took a sip. "I am sure the Elders detected my preparations across town, but with the Chosen chasing after the twins, they are powerless to figure out what was happening right under their noses."

"So this city will finally be ours." The cloaked female replied with a satisfied smile.

"_Our months of planning will finally pay off_." The other cloaked figure spoke telepathically.

"We must still take the final step." Klea reminded them cautiously as she walked around the table. "One final spell to complete the ritual, one final sacrifice. And as you requested, I have found everything we need."

Klea snapped her fingers and two large demonic guards came into the room. One held an ancient looking stone bowl in his hands, while the other was dragging a young woman in chains across the floor. The guard carrying the innocent dropped her on the floor and she rolled in the light, revealing it was Taylor. Even though she was bound and gagged, she screamed and struggled as the guard picked her up again and dragged her to the table.

"I know any innocent would do, but I decided to go for the personal touch." Klea explained. "She is a close friend of that little witch Billie."

"Excellent." Bacarra replied with a content smile as he lifted Taylor's chin and looked at her. "She will make a fine human sacrifice. You have proven your worth countless of times already, Klea, but with this act, I believe you have finally earned the right to become a true member of the Brotherhood."

"Agreed." The cloaked female replied and the other cloaked figure nodded as well. "Take a seat, Klea, you have earned it."

"Thank you, my brothers." Klea replied with a small nod as she sat down in the chair glowing with pride and satisfaction.

"Now then, I believe it is time to finish what we started months ago." Bacarra said as he stood up. "Put the sacrifice on the table."

The demonic guard nodded and lifted Taylor up with a single arm, placing her on the glass table. Taylor cried through her gag the chains around her arms and legs were spread across the table and bound her in her place. Bacarra circled the table and held out his hand. As he cast the spell "_Teleportato_", an athame appeared in his hands. The second guard placed the stone bowl on the table and took a bow. Both guards then stepped back into the shadows. Bacarra took the bowl in his hand and moved closer to Taylor, leaning over to whisper in her ear.

"Before I start the spell, I want to you know a little secret." Bacarra whispered. "The reason you are here is because of your friend Billie. She has been lying to you all this time."

Taylor's eyes widened in shock and she screamed and struggled, though her pleading cries were muffled by the gag. Bacarra sighed and raised the athame above his head. He whispered a few words and then plunged the athame down. As the blade struck, the desperate pleading faded away and were replaced with dead silence. Bacarra held the bowl close to Taylor and let it fill with the blood dripping down from her neck. When the bowl was filled with innocent blood, he walked away and opened the doors to the balcony with a wave of his hand.

"It is time." Bacarra said. "This city and all those within belong to the Brotherhood now."

Bacarra placed the bowl with blood on the balustrade and held his hands over it. He closed his eyes and started casting a spell that he had been preparing for months. The ultimate spell that would forever claim this city. As he started to cast the spell, the blood under his hands started to boil.

"_With innocent blood, the forces of evil invoke,_

_Engulf this city in eternal night's cloak_

_Shackles of space and time, we seek destroyed,_

_To move this city through the dimensional void_

_Banish these grounds from mortal domain,_

_To bring endless darkness and eternal reign"_

As he finished the spell, Bacarra opened his eyes and removed his hands. The boiling blood caught fire. Across the city, huge streams of fire rose up from the ground into the sky. Where the streams hit the clouds, they turned into a swirling dark storm. A darkness emerged from the clouds that slowly started to spread across the entire city. As Bacarra watched the result of his efforts, he was joined on the balcony by his fellow Brotherhood members. They each smiled as they knew the city was theirs for the taking.

Xxx

Duncan stood frozen as the helicopter circled in the air above them and he dropped one of the vials on the floor, causing it to shatter. Homeland Security had arrived to take the twins. But was it for justice or for something else entirely? He knew the government had experimented with magic before. He did not want either of the twins to be used as lab rats. Nobody deserved that. He looked around for a way out, but the sirens were surrounding them, meaning that armed agents could charge in at any minute.

"What do we do?" Duncan asked in a panic.

"No, I am not going to jail!" Nick yelled as he broke through his ties and stood up. He raised his hand and formed a Fire Ball. "Never!"

"Stop." Billie snapped at him as she waved her fingers and flung the Fire Ball from his hands, tossing it into the empty pool. "Nobody is turning you over."

"Then what are we going to do?" Violet asked nervously. "If we let them go, the government will come after us as well."

"And if we run, Bacarra will come after us." Nathan added as his brother released him from his ties. "Besides, as long as we got these demonic powers inside us, we're a danger. We need the potion."

"But if you take the potion, you will lose all your powers." Duncan said. "You will be defenseless."

"Can't we just extract the demonic powers?" Nick asked.

"Maybe, if you both drink half a potion, it will be strong enough to strip the demonic powers without stripping your own powers." Duncan reasoned.

"And then what?" Nathan asked.

"Then you run." Billie said determined. "Last time the government experimented with magic, a virus nearly killed me. I don't even want to think what they could do with the two of you."

"You would trust us enough to let us go?" Nick asked surprised.

"Like I said, trust you need to earn." Billie replied. "From what I've heard, you have had crappy lives, but you're not evil, so I am giving you the chance to prove you can be good."

"Are you sure about this?" Duncan asked.

"This was your idea." Billie replied. "You wanted to them a chance, right?"

"I… don't know." Duncan looked at Nathan, who looked at him with surprise. "I want to believe you can be good."

"Then let us prove it." Nathan said as he stepped forward and looked at him. "I am sorry for what happened. All I can do is try to make up for it someday."

"Okay." Duncan said after a moment and reached into his pocket for the potion. "Here."

"Thank you." Nathan replied with a faint smile as he took the potion and their touch lingered for a moment and their eyes were locked.

"Okay, guys." Nick remarked impatiently as he appeared between them and grabbed the potion. "We're running out of time. You can do this some other time."

There was a ruffling in the hallway and the door to the pool flew open. Billie held out her hand and telekinetically pushed it shut, keeping it in place against the agents about to charge in. "Any time now." She remarked as she struggled to keep it shut against the agents.

Nick nodded and took a sip of the potion. He then handed it to Nathan and he finished the potion. Both shivered and a moment later, red orbs emerged from their bodies and dispersed into the air. A wave of relief seemed to wash over the twins as they were freed of the demonic powers.

"Thank you." Nathan said. "For giving us a chance."

"You're welcome." Duncan replied with a faint smile.

"We will have Bacarra and Homeland Security after us, so have to run." Nathan said. "I don't know when we'll be able to stop. I hate running like this, but we don't have a choice."

"I know." Duncan replied. "Just go. We'll find a way to stop Bacarra somehow."

"Let's go, little brother." Nick remarked impatiently.

"Okay, Billie, get the door?" Nathan asked.

"Sure, I can't hold it much longer anyway." Billie replied.

Nathan gave Duncan one last meaningful look and then placed a hand on his brother's shoulder. They disappeared in a blur and burst through the door. As he stared at the door, he wondered if they would ever come back and if they really could be good. A moment later, armed agents stormed in in full SWAT armor, followed by agent Murphy in a bulletproof vest. Violet dropped the crossbow and Duncan quickly made it disappear. Meanwhile, a tired Billie leaned down against a chair.

"Where are they?" Murphy demanded to know.

"You just missed them." Billie replied with a sigh. "We could not overpower them. They got away."

"I don't believe you, I have had agents keep an eye of you ever since you first called me." Murphy replied. "We got an I.D. on the twins and I am pretty sure you just helped them escape."

"But you can't prove that, right?" Violet asked doubtfully.

"No, I can't, but I can bring you all in for questioning and more." Murphy replied. "I will get to the bottom of this one way or the other."

"I wouldn't suggest that." Billie replied confidently. "You see, I am not the girl I was last time we met, agent Murphy. I got new friends now, and together, we are equally powerful as the Charmed Ones. You could try to arrest us, but you will not get far."

"Did you just threaten me?" Murphy asked with an angry frown.

"No, just telling you the government has no business with magic." Billie replied.

"This is not over, Billie." Murphy replied annoyed. "I will get those twins, they will answer for their crimes, and if I find out you helped them escape, you will be in trouble as well."

"Good luck with that." Duncan remarked. "Can we go now?"

"For now." Murphy replied. "But I am keeping an eye on you. This is not over."

Agent Murphy recalled his agents and they left the room. A few moments later, the helicopter above them flew away and Duncan let out a relieved sigh. With nothing left keeping them there, the Chosen left the old gym, all feeling relieved at least one problem was taken care off. They headed outside and started walking back to their own dorms. As they left the building, the last government cars just drove off into the night.

"So what now?" Violet asked.

"We need to find out what the hell is going on with the Brotherhood." Billie replied.

As they continued walking, Mikelle suddenly appeared before them in a column of orbs. "Guys, we got a huge problem…"

Before she could explain further, they suddenly felt the ground rumble and a huge stream of fire erupted from the ground behind the campus. Duncan turned around and saw more streams of fire rise all across the city into the clouds. A storm front gathered a shadow started to emerge out of nowhere. It spread across the sky and started covering the entire city in darkness. Duncan instantly realized that whatever the Brotherhood had been planning, it had worked.

"Oh crap." Billie remarked as darkness engulfed them.

Xxx

To Be Continued

Author's Note:

Thanks to everyone who read the story and I hope you will all review! The story will pick up in the next chapter of my Chosen series.


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